By Kate Chapman of NZPA Wellington, Sept 23 NZPA - Maori Affairs select committee chairman Tau Henare wants electronic cigarettes to be freely available to help those addicted to nicotine.

Wellington, Sept 14 NZPA - Prime Minister John Key confirmed today the Maori Party had asked the Government to take tough action against smoking. He said suggestions put up by the party had not yet been considered in detail, but ministers were not rejecting them out of hand.

Wellington, Sept 13 NZPA - The Maori Party is in talks with the Government about taking serious action against smoking. Ideas included a select committee inquiry, increasing the price of tobacco and a ban on retail displays.

Wellington, Sept 4 NZPA - Legislation setting up Auckland's new super city council is going to have a rough passage through Parliament. Opposition parties today started picking fights with the Government within minutes of the amended bill being released by a select committee.

Wellington, Aug 27 NZPA - Protests are being organised against the Government's decision to rule out reserved Maori seats on Auckland's new city council and the Labour Party is going to try to create them by putting up amendments in Parliament.

Wellington, Aug 26 NZPA - Legislative amendments to create Maori seats on the Auckland super city council were today put forward by Labour's Maori affairs spokesman Parekura Horomia.

By Peter Wilson of NZPA Wellington, Aug 18 NZPA - Opposition parties argued in Parliament today that the Government made the wrong call when it decided to send the SAS to Afghanistan.

Wellington, Aug 12 NZPA - A group representing former MPs says it will fight to retain travel discounts. Details of MPs' expense claims were released for the first time last month.

Wellington, July 30 NZPA - MPs with larger expense bills than their colleagues are defending their spending as necessary or the use of an historical entitlement. Parliamentary Service released some details of MPs expenses for the for first time, following calls for more transparency.

Wellington, July 30 NZPA - Maori demonstrators, supported by MPs from three parties, gathered outside Parliament today to campaign for a `Yes' vote in the referendum on whether smacking should remain a criminal offence.