By Sharon Lundy of NZPA Wellington, June 30 NZPA - Nearly 600 Ministry of Social Development (MSD) staff have been told their positions are being axed, chief executive Peter Hughes said today.

By Sharon Lundy of NZPA Wellington, May 28 NZPA - Finance Minister Bill English likes to run. Distance, that is, not sprints. And so it was when he read his Budget speech to the House today: a solid effort from start to finish, with no flashy sprints but no slowing to a crawl.

By Ian Llewellyn and Sharon Lundy of NZPA Wellington, May 16 NZPA - A marathon session of Parliament to bring in the first stages of an Auckland "super council" has ended after the Government figured out a way to short circuit the Opposition's delaying tactics.

By Ian Llewellyn and Sharon Lundy of NZPA Wellington, May 16 NZPA - A marathon session of Parliament to bring in the first stages of single council in Auckland is drawing to an end after the Government figured out a way to short circuit the Opposition's delaying tactics.

By Sharon Lundy of NZPA Wellington, May 16 NZPA - MPs call it democracy at work but Assistant Speaker Rick Barker probably summed it up best when he described a drawn-out parliamentary debate as a "wrestle".

By Sharon Lundy of NZPA Wellington, May 7 NZPA - Police Minister Judith Collins is "extremely shocked and concerned" over the shooting of three police in Napier this morning.

Wellington, April 14 NZPA - The Government has ruled out banning New Zealanders from visiting Fiji, saying to do so would make it no better than the island nation's military administration.

Wellington, April 2 NZPA - ACC chairman John Judge today cast doubt on whether he asked ACC Minister Nick Smith to act on his behalf at a parliamentary committee. Dr Smith told NZPA tonight he had never said Mr Judge asked him to appear at the committee meeting.

Wellington, April 2 NZPA - ACC chairman John Judge today cast doubt on whether he asked ACC Minister Nick Smith to act on his behalf at a parliamentary committee.

By Sharon Lundy of NZPA Wellington, April 2 NZPA - ACC chairman John Judge today cast doubt on whether he asked ACC Minister Nick Smith to act on his behalf at a parliamentary committee.