By Maggie Tait of NZPA Wellington, Aug 27 NZPA - ACT leader and Local Government Minister Rodney Hide doesn't mind being called a buffoon, a jerk-off and worse, but being called a "dot dot dot" today proved beyond the pale.

Wellington, Aug 17 NZPA - Social Development Minister Paula Bennett is right to audit the highest-paid beneficiaries, Prime Minister John Key says. Ms Bennett announced today the 50 people who received the most money in social welfare payments would be audited.

Wellington, Aug 17 NZPA - The 50 people who receive the most money in social welfare payments will be audited, Social Development Minister Paula Bennett says. More than 300 beneficiaries receive more than $1000 a week and many in the top 50 have more than eight children.

Wellington, Aug 6 NZPA - Unemployment is going to get worse before it gets better, Finance Minister Bill English said today after latest statistics showed it had risen to 6 percent. The Household Labour Force Survey put the number of unemployed at a 10-year high of 138,000.

Wellington, Aug 6 NZPA - Unemployment is going to get worse before it gets better, Finance Minister Bill English said today after latest statistics showed it had risen to 6 percent. The Household Labour Force Survey put the number of unemployed at a 10-year high of 138,000.

Wellington, Aug 4 NZPA - A new scheme to get youth into jobs should include a guarantee no existing workers are made redundant, Labour says.

By Kate Chapman of NZPA Wellington, July 29 NZPA - Complaints by two solo mothers that changes to the Training Incentive Allowance (TIA) would make it difficult for them to continue university study have spiralled into a political circus.

NZPA political reporters Wellington, July 29 NZPA - Social Development Minister Paula Bennett says she's ready to talk to two solo mothers at the centre of a privacy row but she isn't going to apologise for releasing details of their welfare payments.

Wellington, July 28 NZPA - The Labour Party intends to lay a complaint with the privacy commissioner against Social Development Minister Paula Bennett for releasing income details of two beneficiaries.

Wellington, July 28 NZPA - Ministers and departments need to consider the Privacy Act when they release personal information, Privacy Commissioner Marie Shroff says.