Wellington, July 27 NZPA - A review of the overseas investment regime is likely to look at how to stop the sell-off large tracts of land to foreign buyers, Prime Minister John Key indicated today. The review was started by Finance Minister Bill English in March last year and aimed at:

Wellington, July 26 NZPA - The Green Party has drafted a bill seeking to stop overseas buyers snapping up large tracts of New Zealand land.

Wellington, July 26 NZPA - The Green Party has drafted a bill seeking to stop overseas buyers snapping up large tracts of New Zealand land.

Wellington, July 26 NZPA - A move to require people to be licensed to own high-powered air rifles is long overdue, says the Police Association.

Wellington, July 25 NZPA - A move to require people to be licensed to own high-powered air rifles has been welcomed by the Green Party, but it also says owners should have to register all their firearms.

Wellington, July 23 NZPA - Too many New Zealanders live in cold, damp rental homes, Green MP Gareth Hughes says. He has a member's bill to legislate against such homes and is touring the country to promote it.

Wellington, July 22 NZPA - The Green Party warned today the ownership of New Zealand's oil outside the 12 nautical mile limit may turn out to be the "biggest Maori land grab in New Zealand history".

Wellington, July 22 NZPA - A bill that will replace the 30-year-old Food Act was given its first reading in Parliament today. The 342-page Food Bill has taken three years to draft and Food Safety Minister Kate Wilkinson says it is a big improvement on existing law.

Wellington, July 22 NZPA - A Government U-turn on mining will not have an impact on economic growth, Finance Minister Bill English told Parliament today.

Wellington, July 22 NZPA - Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee and Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson were in no doubt about the public's opposition to mining protected land, documents released today show.

Wellington, July 22 NZPA - Irrigation NZ (INZ) has welcomed the moratorium placed on new major irrigation consents on Canterbury's Hurunui River yesterday, saying it was commonsense where no proper water plan exists.

Wellington, July 22 NZPA - Despite scrapping plans to mine protected conservation land, the Government is still being accused of ignoring public opinion.

Wellington, July 21 NZPA - Opposition MPs have welcomed the moratorium placed on new major irrigation consents on Canterbury's Hurunui River but want further protection.

By Maggie Tait of NZPA Wellington, July 20 NZPA - Specially protected areas of conservation land won't be mined but it looks like open season for other parts of the country.

By Chris Ormond and Maggie Tait of NZPA Wellington, July 20 NZPA - Environmental groups are celebrating the Government's decision to abandon plans to open protected conservation land to mineral prospecting, but remain concerned about future mining on Crown land.

By Chris Ormond of NZPA Wellington, July 20 NZPA - Environmental groups are celebrating the Government's decision to abandon plans to open protected conservation land to mineral prospecting, but remain concerned about future mining on Crown land.

By Maggie Tait of NZPA Wellington, July 20 NZPA - Mining on specially protected conservation areas was not worth the negative impact on the industry, the Government said today while backing down from its proposals to do just that.

By Chris Ormond of NZPA Wellington, July 20 NZPA - National's U-turn on mining is a forced and humiliating back-down rather than a case of the party listening to the people, Labour leader Phil Goff says.

Wellington, July 20 NZPA - Mining on special protected areas of conservation are off the table after public opposition, but there will be more mining in other parts of the country -- including other types of conservation land, the Government says.

Wellington, July 20 NZPA - The Government has confirmed it will not mine protected conservation land -- its biggest backdown since taking office.

By Peter Wilson and Kate Chapman of NZPA Wellington, July 20 NZPA - Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee will today announce the Government's biggest backdown since taking office -- plans to mine protected conservation land have been scrapped.

Wellington, July 20 NZPA - Concerns doctors will be swamped with requests for sickness certificates because of employment law changes are groundless, the Government believes.

By Peter Wilson and Kate Chapman of NZPA Wellington, July 19 NZPA - The Government has scrapped plans to mine conservation land in the face of furious public protest, NZPA has confirmed.

Wellington, July 19 NZPA - The Government is expected to tomorrow announce a back-down on mining in conservation land, in the wake of furious protests.

By Kate Chapman of NZPA Wellington, July 19 NZPA - The Government has decided which areas of New Zealand to open up to mining but the public will have to wait until tomorrow to find out.

By Maggie Tait of NZPA Wellington, July 19 NZPA - Employees should not be worried about getting a medical certificate if they are genuinely unwell, Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson says. "It shouldn't worry any employee who is not trying to pull a sickie," she told NZPA.

Wellington, July 18 NZPA - A decision on proposals to mine on conservation land was likely today, Prime Minister John Key says.

Wellington, July 18 NZPA - A lack of interest in the Health Ministry's top job shows concerns about the Government's direction for the sector, Labour and the Greens say. However the Government says it is just a matter of getting the right person for the job.

Wellington, July 18 NZPA - Cabinet will tomorrow consider and possibly make decisions on proposals to mine on conservation land, Prime Minister John Key says.

Wellington, July 17 NZPA - Unions upset at moves they see as rolling back workers' rights say research by the Labour Department could have been designed to support Government plans to extend the 90 day employment trial period to all businesses.