Feds pse Q for 0400 Wellington, July 20 NZPA - Unions say more and more cases of unfair dismissal are being reported as people realise the 90-day probation period is going to be extended to cover all workers.

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 - Fiji's self-appointed Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama has no reason to postpone holding elections in 2014, despite threats to do so, Prime Minister John Key says.

Wellington, July 19 NZPA - Police have issued 126 on-the-spot safety orders for victims of domestic violence since the law came into force at the beginning of this month, Justice Minister Simon Power said today.

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.

Wellington, July 19 NZPA - Prime Minister John Key is defending the Government's employment law changes against a union backlash, saying other countries have probation periods for new workers that are much longer than 90 days.

Wellington, July 19 NZPA - A review of the Overseas Investment Act will be released later this week, Prime Minister John Key says. Last year the Government announced the vast majority of overseas investment applications would no longer need ministerial approval.

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 19 NZPA - A United Nations expert on indigenous peoples rights will look at issues surrounding Treaty of Waitangi settlements and socio-economic issues faced by Maori during his six day visit to New Zealand.

Wellington, July 19 NZPA - A hike in the number of jobs advertised online is good news for the economy and labour market, a new report says. The Labour Department's jobs online monthly report found strong growth in the three months to the end of May.

Wellington, July 19 NZPA - New Zealand is to establish an embassy in the United Arab Emirates. Foreign Minister Murray McCully said the embassy would be in the capital Abu Dhabi where he today met his UAE counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan.

By Maggie Tait of NZPA Wellington, July 19 NZPA - Doctors' surgeries may struggle to cope with numbers of workers needing medical certificates and some people may not take a day or two off when they should, spreading sickness, a doctors' organisation warns.

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

Wellington, July 19 NZPA - Sweeping changes to labour laws were "moderate", Prime Minister John Key says as unions, the Labour and Green parties and others say workers will lose rights.

NZPA political reporters Wellington, July 19 NZPA - The Government's employment law changes have provoked furious criticism from unions and the Labour Party.

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 18 NZPA - The Government is attacking Kiwi workers' conditions and wages, unions and the Labour Party say after Prime Minister John Key announced extensive labour law changes.

Auckland, July 18 NZPA - Quips and quotes from the National Party conference. "I'm going to get rid of the Treasury and replace it with Paul the octopus." Prime Minister John Key says he has some good news for Finance Minister Bill English.

Auckland, July 18 NZPA - Protesters at the National Party conference in central Auckland's Sky City pushed their way through security cordons and attempted to enter the building to show their opposition to newly introduced labour laws.

Auckland, July 18, NZPA - The employment law changes announced today are: * The 90-day trial period for new employees will be extended to cover all employers. It was introduced in 2008 for businesses with 19 or fewer workers and the Government says it has been a success.

By Peter Wilson of NZPA Auckland, July 18 NZPA - Around 500 trade unionists banged drums and bellowed protests outside the National Party's annual conference today while inside it delegates cheered Prime Minister John Key as he announced sweeping changes to employment law.

Auckland, July 18 NZPA - A noisy crowd of about 500 unionists this morning gathered outside Auckland's Sky City, the venue for the National Party's annual conference, to protest controversial labour law changes announced by Prime Minister John Key today.

By Peter Wilson of NZPA Auckland, July 18 NZPA - Union members demonstrated outside the National Party's annual conference today as inside it Prime Minister John Key announced changes to employment law.

Auckland, July 18 NZPA - Peter Goodfellow has been re-appointed president of the National Party for another year. A smalll faction within the party lobbied against his re-appointment but more than 600 delegates at its annual conference applauded the announcement today.

By Peter Wilson of NZPA Auckland, July 17 NZPA - The Government has Act Party support for extending the 90-day employment law to all businesses, but the Maori Party will probably oppose it, Prime Minister John Key says.

Auckland, July 17 NZPA - Auckland Mayor John Banks opened National's annual conference today with a campaign speech -- about himself. Mr Banks is a contender for mayor of the new super city council which will be elected in October.

Auckland, July 17 NZPA - An evaluation of the 90-day employment probation period has shown that 74 percent of those hired under its terms kept their jobs and continued with their employer when their probation ended.