Wellington, Aug 30 NZPA - Local Government Minister Rodney Hide said his opposition to Maori seats on the new Auckland super council does not mean he does not support the Treaty of Waitangi.

Wellington, Aug 28 NZPA - Associate Defence Minister Heather Roy will next week visit Defence Force personnel on duty in the Solomon Islands. They are deployed with the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands which undertakes security and peacekeeping roles.

Wellington, Aug 27 NZPA - Smacking referendum campaigner Larry Baldock has asked for a meeting with Prime Minister John Key to discuss the Government's reaction to the result, but he isn't likely to get one.

By Maggie Tait of NZPA Wellington, Aug 27 NZPA - ACT leader and Local Government Minister Rodney Hide doesn't mind being called a buffoon, a jerk-off and worse, but being called a "dot dot dot" today proved beyond the pale.

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.

By Peter Wilson and Kate Chapman of NZPA Wellington, Aug 26 NZPA - A bid by an ACT Party MP to change the law that bans smacking is doomed because National will vote against the bill in Parliament.

Wellington, Aug 26 NZPA - The Government will vote against ACT MP John Boscawen's bill defining a legal smack. Prime Minister John Key stood by his previous comments that the current law was working.

Wellington, Aug 25 NZPA - Maori anger grew today as the Government stood firm on its decision not to allow reserved Maori seats on the Auckland super council.

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.

Wellington, Aug 25 NZPA - Tensions between National and ACT were evident today, with National's Tau Henare resorting to name calling against Local Government Minister Rodney Hide over the ACT leader's threat to quit if Maori seats were included on the Auckland super council.

Wellington, Aug 25 NZPA - Tensions between National and ACT were evident today, with National's Tau Henare resorting to name calling against Local Government Minister Rodney Hide over the ACT leader's threat to quit if Maori seats were included on the Auckland super council.

Wellington, Aug 25 NZPA - If Aucklanders want Maori seats on the new council there are other ways of getting them, Prime Minister John Key says.

Wellington, Aug 24 NZPA - Cabinet has reaffirmed its decision against having reserved Maori seats on Auckland's new super city council, and a crisis over the divisive issue has been averted.

Wellington, Aug 20 NZPA - Proposed legislation scrapping compulsory student unionism is "bizarre" as students are not bothered by the issue, New Zealand Union of Students' Associations co-president Jordon King says.

Wellington, Aug 20 NZPA - National is playing down a high-stakes political battle between its support partners over Maori seats on the new Auckland council.

Wellington, Aug 20 NZPA - Climate Change Minister Nick Smith is rejecting criticism by a top United Nations climate scientist that the Government's emissions reduction target is disappointing, inadequate and unambitious.

Wellington, Aug 20 NZPA - ACT leader Rodney Hide has vowed to resign as Local Government Minister if Maori seats are allowed on the Auckland super city council.

Wellington, Aug 20 NZPA - The Government and the ACT Party are denying that a crisis has developed over whether there should be reserved Maori seats on Auckland's new city council.

Wellington, Aug 19 NZPA - ACT leader Rodney Hide has set himself firmly against having any Maori seats on the new Auckland `super city' council but denies he is holding the Government to ransom over the controversial issue.

By Ian Llewellyn of NZPA Wellington, Aug 16 NZPA - Both Labour and National say they are continuing talks over an emissions trading scheme despite rumours that they have reached a deadlock over crucial details.

Wellington, Aug 19 NZPA - The Government has announced terms of reference for its review of special education and says the goal is that every child and young person reaches their potential. Associate Education Minister Heather Roy said the review would be in two stages.

Wellington, Aug 17 NZPA - As the Government seeks to reduce regulation it has released its first Statement on Regulation -- a set of regulations. Finance Minister Bill English and Regulatory Reform Minister Rodney Hide released the statement today.

Wellington, Aug 14 NZPA - Transport Minister Steven Joyce says there is strong support for the ban on using hand-held cellphones in cars and most people realise they shouldn't text and drive at the same time.

Wellington, Aug 14 NZPA - Political parties and cellphone companies have welcomed a ban on texting and using hand-held cellphones while driving.

Wellington, Aug 13 NZPA - Former Cabinet minister Sir Douglas Graham says he would not give up his MPs' travel allowance, though he would swap it for a pension when he got too old to travel.

NZPA political reporters Wellington, Aug 7 NZPA - ACT MP David Garrett has denied threatening a Labour MP during a select committee meeting and says the spat started when he was insulted by Clayton Cosgrove.

By Maggie Tait and Kate Chapman of NZPA Wellington, Aug 7 NZPA - ACT leader Rodney Hide says his MP David Garrett did not threaten a Labour MP.

Wellington, Aug 7 NZPA - Prime Minister John Key says there is no place for violence in New Zealand's Parliament.

Wellington, Aug 5 NZPA - A new scholarship initiative announced today will provide opportunities for 250 students from low socioeconomic families to attend independent secondary schools.

Wellington, July 31 NZPA - Now that MPs have publicly released their expenses attention is being drawn to perks that former MPs get.