Wellington, March 12 NZPA - The Government has moved quickly to appease pensioners concerned their SuperGold card privileges may be eroded because of the scheme's escalating costs.

Wellington, March 12 NZPA - Race Relations Commissioner Joris de Bres has again criticised Hone Harawira for making racially offensive comments, saying in a report released today political parties should have codes of conduct that did not tolerate such behaviour.

By Alastair Bull of NZPA Auckland, March 11 NZPA - An Auckland academic says smoking rates in New Zealand would plummet if tobacco products could not be displayed at shops.

By Alastair Bull of NZPA Auckland, March 11 NZPA - Amid a barrage of Maori people calling for tough controls and the eventual banning of smoking, a tobacco company today asked for current sale display rules to remain the same.

Wellington, March 10 NZPA - The latest poll shows National still retaining very high levels of political support. The latest Roy Morgan NZ poll put National on 53.5 percent, up 1.5 percentage points since the last poll.

Wellington, Feb 28 NZPA - Hone Harawira has again been criticised by his party leaders, this time for encouraging people to take "whatever action necessary" to protest against a planned sea turbine project.

Wellington, Feb 25 NZPA - MPs trimmed back their taxpayer funded expenses in the last three months of last year due to the start of the long summer break and more discipline.

Wellington, Feb 25 NZPA - The Youth Court has been given new sentencing options for serious young offenders under legislation passed by Parliament today.

By Peter Wilson of NZPA Wellington, Feb 24 NZPA - Controversial changes to ACC were passed into law in Parliament tonight after nearly two days of fierce debate.

Wellington, Feb 24 NZPA - After enduring media scrutiny of ministerial credit card spending, MPs can expect more cages to be rattled when details of their expenses are released later this week.

Wellington, Feb 23 NZPA - MPs appear to be taking steps to ensure they don't get caught up in credit card spending controversies by reverting from taking them out of their wallets altogether.

Wellington, Feb 22 NZPA - People were being more realistic about the economy, Prime Minister John Key said this morning following a poll last night showing reduced confidence.

Wellington, Feb 21 NZPA - New Zealand has come out of recession but confidence that the economy will get better over the next 12 months is slightly down compared to November, a new poll out tonight shows.

Wellington, Feb 17 NZPA - The Labour Party tried to find out in Parliament today how much money was going to be allocated for the new Whanau Ora social services scheme but it was told to wait for the May 20 budget.

Wellington, Feb 17 NZPA - Primary teachers are calling on the Government to ignore an "ideologically-driven" report on school choice. Education Minister Anne Tolley is approaching it cautiously and says she will consider it.

Wellington, Feb 16 NZPA - A plan to settle the Foreshore and Seabed issue was outlined in Parliament today by Maori Party MP Hone Harawira, who said his party's caucus approved it last week.

Wellington, Feb 16 NZPA - During the 1984 election Labour promised to set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the electoral system.

Wellington, Feb 16 NZPA - The Government is considering a modified version of the education voucher scheme for the worst and best performing students.

Wellington, Feb 16 NZPA - Development of the Government's Whanau Ora policy has been a shambles, Labour leader Phil Goff says. However Social Development and Employment Minister Paula Bennett is blaming the media for confusion around the policy.

Wellington, Feb 15 NZPA - Families using the new Whanua Ora social services system will have to accept it is based on the Maori way of doing things, Prime Minister John Key says.

Wellington, Feb 11 NZPA - Secrecy around the Government's Whanau Ora policy is a sign that ministers couldn't agree about it, Labour's social development spokeswoman Annette King said today.

Wellington, Feb 12 NZPA - A marae once associated with Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples is denying that it has not acted on allegations of fraud.

By Alastair Bull of NZPA Auckland, Feb 11 NZPA - The Drug Foundation has called on politicians to "engage constructively" with a Law Commission report calling for a relaxing of drug laws relating to personal use.

Wellington, Feb 11 NZPA - A report on a new way of delivering welfare to dysfunctional families was presented to Government today. However details of what is in The Whanau Ora Taskforce's report are not being made public yet.

Wellington, Feb 11 NZPA - Associate Health Minister Tariana Turia, who has had her stomach stapled, says it was "scandalous" and "appalling" for an experienced surgeon to tell a severely obese patient she was "going on a f***ing diet".

Wellington, Feb 11 NZPA - Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia has indicated she is not keen on the concept of no one owning the foreshore and seabed.

Wellington, Feb 11 NZPA - A huge proportion of votes lost prisoners are stopped from voting in elections will be in Labour and Maori Party strongholds, a prison reform group says.

Wellington, Feb 11 NZPA - A huge proportion of votes lost prisoners are stopped from voting in elections will be in Labour and Maori Party strongholds, a prison reform group says.

Wellington, Feb 11 NZPA - The Maori Party has joined Labour and the Greens as opposition to the Government's plan to raise GST strengthens in Parliament.

Wellington, Feb 11 NZPA - The Maori Party is backing its troublesome MP Hone Harawira and says he made "an innocent mistake" when he submitted a bill which contravened its support agreement with the Government.