NZPA political reporters Wellington, Nov 16 NZPA - The Government says it is committed to passing crucial climate change legislation despite a deadlocked select committee report and opposition complaints that taxpayers will carry a $100 billion burden.

NZPA political reporters Wellington, Nov 16 NZPA - The Government is being accused of a $50 billion blunder after Treasury said proposed changes to the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) could cost twice as much as originally estimated.

Wellington, Nov 10 NZPA - ACT leader Rodney Hide has paid back taxpayer money he used to take his partner on overseas trips but other Ministers who did the same thing are resisting following his lead.

Wellington, Nov 9 NZPA - Politicians from four parties will take part in TVNZ's programme Spotlight on the Economy, due to be broadcast by Channel 7 on Wednesday night after an uproar over a promo which featured Finance Minister Bill English.

Wellington, Nov 9 NZPA - ACT leader Rodney Hide today handed Parliamentary Services a cheque for nearly $12,000, paying back the taxpayer funds he claimed to take his partner on overseas trips.

Wellington, Nov 9 NZPA - MPs need to get their heads around new transparency for their allowances but it will ensure more careful use of taxpayer money, Prime Minister John Key says.

Wellington, Nov 9 NZPA - ACT leader Rodney Hide will today hand Parliamentary Services a cheque for nearly $12,000 as he tries to fix the mistake he says he made when he used taxpayer funds to take his partner on overseas trips.

Wellington, Nov 8 NZPA - ACT leader Rodney Hide has apologised for claiming taxpayer money to take his partner on overseas trips and says he will repay all of it.

Wellington, Nov 7 NZPA - Act MP and "Perk-buster" Rodney Hide has repaid the $10,000 cost for a tax-payer funded private holiday he took with his girlfriend in Hawaii.

Wellington, Nov 6 NZPA - Air New Zealand is promoting its airfares by taking the mickey out of two MPs who are in the headlines for their travel perks.

Wellington, Nov 6 NZPA - Guy Fawke's Day was politically explosive for ACT leader Rodney Hide's with two crackers exploding in his face. The day began with Mr Hide apologising for ripping into Prime Minister John Key's performance and mocking National ministers to ACT supporters.

Wellington, Nov 5 NZPA - ACT leader Rodney Hide's belief that he can hoodwink his National counterparts around the Cabinet table should be of concern to all voters, Labour's deputy leader Annette King said today.

Wellington, Nov 5 NZPA - ACT leader Rodney Hide's belief that he can hoodwink his National counterparts around the Cabinet table should be of concern to all voters, Labour's deputy leader Annette King said today.

Wellington, Nov 5 NZPA - ACT leader Rodney Hide has apologised for ripping into Prime Minister John Key's performance yesterday.

Wellington, Nov 5 NZPA - ACT leader Rodney Hide ripped into Prime Minister John Key's performance at a breakfast yesterday.

By Ian Llewellyn of NZPA Wellington, Nov 4 NZPA - ACT Leader Rodney Hide says some of his Cabinet colleagues are opposed to his legislative proposal to cut regulations as they wish to force feed New Zealand "regulatory lard" due to political expediency.

Wellington, Nov 1 NZPA - ACT leader Rodney Hide says he has been abused in the street for using taxpayer-funded perks to pay for his girlfriend's travel.

Wellington, Oct 30 NZPA - ACT leader Rodney Hide says he disagrees with the perk that gives MPs a taxpayer-funded 90 percent fare discount for themselves and their partners -- but he still used it to take his girlfriend overseas.

Wellington, Oct 30 NZPA - The taxpayer paid for ACT leader Rodney Hide to take his girlfriend on an overseas trip. The second disclosure of MPs' expenses was released yesterday. It covered the July 1 to September 30 period.

Wellington, Oct 29 NZPA - Labour MP Chris Carter's travel expenses were considerably lower in the second disclosure of MPs' expenses released today. Mr Carter faced criticism over travel expenses of $82,410 for the first six months of the year.

Wellington, Oct 28 NZPA - Councils will in future have to pay much closer attention to their core functions and produce financial reports that ratepayers can understand, Local Government Minister Rodney Hide said today.

By Peter Wilson of NZPA Wellington, Oct 28 NZPA - The public will get a chance to have a say on the Government's changes to ACC when a parliamentary committee calls for submissions on the bill.

By Peter Wilson of NZPA Wellington, Oct 27 NZPA - The Government's ACC bill passed its first reading in Parliament today after a tense debate and opposition claims that the scheme would eventually be replaced by private accident insurance.

Wellington, Oct 27 NZPA - A bill increasing ACC levies and reducing some entitlements will have its first reading this evening.

Wellington, Oct 23 NZPA - Local Government Minister Rodney Hide says he will soon announce changes to legislation which will help stop rates spiralling out of control.

Wellington, Oct 23 NZPA - The Government is being accused of breaking an election promise on ACC and trade unions say the scheme will be destroyed if it is opened to private competition.

NZPA political reporters Wellington, Oct 23 NZPA - The Government's clear intention to open ACC to private competition has driven a wedge between trade unions and the business sector.

By Maggie Tait of NZPA Wellington, Oct 22 NZPA - The Government is open to wider competition in ACC than just the work account if that is recommended by an expert group considering the issue.

Wellington, Oct 22 NZPA - After a deal between the ACT Party and the Government, opening up ACC's work account to competition is inevitable but will not be good for taxpayers, Labour says.

Wellington, Oct 22 NZPA - Local Government Minister Rodney Hide isn't breaking cabinet rules by holding a fund-raising event for his ACT Party, Parliament was told today.