Wellington, March 16 NZPA - The Government is expected to decide this week whether it will back Auckland's bid to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games. An announcement is likely after Sports Minister Murray McCully meets officials and promoters today or tomorrow.

Wellington, March 15 NZPA - The Government is taking security at next year's Rugby World Cup very seriously and it will be very different to the way provincial games are handled, Prime Minister John Key says.

Wellington, March 15 NZPA - Rumours that the Government has decided not to back Auckland's bid to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games will be confirmed or denied later this week, Prime Minister John Key said today.

Wellington, March 14 NZPA - Prime Minister John Key hopes that trade talks started in Australia today could pave the way for not only a deal with the United States, but also the entire Asia Pacific region.

Wellington, March 15 NZPA - Prime Minister John Key says he supports New Zealand Cricket's (NZC) decision not to tour Zimababwe in June. NZC chief executive Justin Vaughan announced the decision today, saying it had met little resistance from Zimbabwe.

Wellington, March 15 NZPA - Some reports on the Government's plans to open up more conservation land to mining have been "hysterical" and the public should reserve judgment until they see what is on the table, Prime Minister John Key said today.

Wellington, March 15 NZPA - The Government is giving the All Whites' Fifa World Cup final campaign a $300,000 boost, Prime Minister John Key announced today.

Wellington, March 15 NZPA - The arrest of Auckland anti-whaling activist Pete Bethune has drawn a mixed response in Japan, with some officials saying he should have been deported.

When Rodney Hide complained last year that the Government "wasn't doing anything" the point he was trying to make was that it hadn't set a course for the sort of economic reform it had talked about before the election.

Wellington, March 15 NZPA - Prime Minister John Key says New Zealand needs to fix problems itself and merging with Australia is no answer.