Wellington, Aug 30 NZPA - Green MP Sue Bradford has been receiving an increasing amount of abusive correspondence -- including an assassination threat.

NZPA political reporters Wellington, Aug 27 NZPA - An MP who wants to change the law that bans smacking is facing a crushing defeat in Parliament.

Wellington, Aug 25 NZPA - The Government is defending changes to ACC which opponents say will mean victims of rape and sexual abuse find it difficult to access therapy.

Wellington, Aug 25 NZPA - Prime Minister John Key has made "a huge mistake" by refusing to change the law that bans smacking and National will suffer for it at the next election, the ACT Party says.

By Peter Wilson of NZPA Wellington, Aug 25 NZPA - The Maori Party is vowing to continue to fight for reserved Maori seats on Auckland's new super city council.

Wellington, Aug 24 NZPA - Changes to the way welfare officers handle complaints about light smacking are likely, Prime Minister John Key said today. Cabinet today considered Friday's resounding referendum victory for opponents of the 2007 child discipline law change.

Wellington, Aug 24 NZPA - Proposals to Cabinet today should give parents more confidence they will not be criminalised for smacking their children, Prime Minister John Key says.

Wellington, Aug 23 NZPA - Cabinet will consider the smacking referendum tomorrow and it looks likely police and welfare staff will be told not to investigate or prosecute parents who lightly smack their children.

Wellington, Aug 22 NZPA - The Government should urgently amend the law to allow parents the right to smack their children as part of "good care and parenting", former MP Larry Baldock says.

By Maggie Tait of NZPA Wellington, Aug 21 NZPA - Almost 90 percent of people who participated in a referendum asking New Zealanders whether smacking should be illegal have voted no, preliminary results show.