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 18 NZPA - Accident victims who applied to ACC for surgery have been turned down on the grounds that their injuries were the result of "prior conditions" or "a gradual process", Opposition MPs said in Parliament today.

By Peter Wilson of NZPA Wellington, Nov 25 NZPA - The Government's emissions trading scheme was passed into law today after months of controversy and two days of debate under urgency in Parliament.

Wellington, Nov 25 NZPA - The bill that sets up the Government's new emissions trading scheme was passed into law today on a 63-58 vote in Parliament.

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.

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.

By Kate Chapman of NZPA Wellington, Oct 15 NZPA - ACC Minister Nick Smith has apologised for saying he would throw himself under a train because his family would benefit under ACC's current policy.

Wellington, Sept 29 NZPA - Finance Minister Bill English may have paid back his all his ministerial housing allowance and ended any future payments, but Labour says that is not the end of the issue.

Wellington, Sept 28 NZPA - Acting Prime Minister Bill English has moved to try and end the controversy swirling around his ministerial housing allowances by paying it all back and saying he will take none in the future.

Wellington, Sept 28 NZPA - Finance Minister Bill English will have an informal meeting with the Auditor-General's office this evening to discuss an investigation into his housing allowances claim.

Wellington, Sept 28 NZPA - Finance Minister Bill English has not received any housing allowances since the end of July following controversy that he was claiming a much higher allowance for living in the same house as a minister that he lived in as an opposition MP.

Wellington, Sept 25 NZPA - The Auditor-General's office is seeking more information before deciding whether to investigate a complaint against Finance Minister Bill English over housing allowances.

Wellington, Sept 24 NZPA - After months of controversy the Government today brought its new-look emissions trading scheme (ETS) to Parliament and got the bill through its first reading on a vote of 63 to 58.

Wellington, Sept 18 NZPA - The Auditor-General's office will consider whether a complaint against Finance Minister Bill English comes under its authority once it receives it.

Wellington, Sept 17 NZPA - Opposition MPs tried to keep up the pressure on Finance Minister Bill English today by again raising the question of whether he lives in Wellington or Dipton.

By Peter Wilson of NZPA Wellington, Sept 10 NZPA - Labour leader Phil Goff is expected to set a new agenda for his party when it holds its annual conference in Rotorua this weekend.

Wellington, Sept 2 NZPA - An inquiry by opposition MPs into banks starts today, but none of the major banks will attend.

Wellington, Sept 1 NZPA - The "big four" Australian-owned banks will not make submissions to a parliamentary committee set-up by opposition MPs to investigate their behaviour.

Wellington, Aug 19 NZPA - A Labour Party bill that would have forced a referendum before any of Auckland's assets could be sold was defeated on its first reading in Parliament tonight.

By Peter Wilson of NZPA Wellington, Aug 18 NZPA - Opposition parties argued in Parliament today that the Government made the wrong call when it decided to send the SAS to Afghanistan.

Wellington, Aug 6 NZPA - Opposition MPs will be allowed to use Beehive meeting rooms to hold an inquiry into banks. Labour, the Greens and the Progressive Party are holding the inquiry into the difference between bank interest rates and the official cash rate set by the Reserve Bank.

Wellington, Aug 5 NZPA - New Zealand is in the grip of an electricity poverty crisis, says Progressive Party leader Jim Anderton. The Wigram MP reported today record numbers of people were coming to see him because they couldn't afford their power bills. Among them were:

Wellington, July 29 NZPA - A Labour MP's bid to ban products made by slave labour failed in Parliament tonight after the Government said it would be impossible to identify them.

Wellington, July 29 NZPA - The Government has turned down a Green Party bill that would have strengthened the legal protection of seabirds and marine mammals. Metiria Turei's Marine Animal's Law Reform Bill was defeated 63-58 after she made a passionate appeal for support.

Wellington, July 28 NZPA - Opposition MPs are upset because Speaker Lockwood Smith won't let them use a select committee room in Parliament for their inquiry into bank interest rates.

Wellington, July 24 NZPA - The Progressive Party is effectively standing aside at the next election and its members have been told they are free to join Labour if they want to.

By Maggie Tait of NZPA Wellington, July 21 NZPA - Parliament's left-leaning parties are holding their own inquiry into banks' profits but the Government says it is a waste of time.

Wellington, June 22 NZPA - A string of negative stories has not dented the National Party's popularity according to the latest poll.

Wellington, May 28 NZPA - Labour launched a fierce attack on the Government when the budget debate began in Parliament. Party leader Phil Goff said there was no plan to protect jobs, no substance and no vision in it. "This is a dishonest budget," he said.