Wellington, July 15 NZPA - Changing or repealing the "claim of right" defence successfully used by the Waihopai spy base saboteurs is an over-reaction to their acquittal, the Green Party says.

Wellington, July 15 NZPA - The Government's plan to link tertiary education funding to students getting jobs could be counter-productive, the Labour Party says.

Wellington, July 15 NZPA - Rewarding businesses with good safety records by giving them ACC levy discounts could lead to some of them covering up workplace accidents, unions and the Labour Party say.

Wellington, July 15 NZPA - The latest unemployment benefit figures are a worrying sign that New Zealand is falling further behind Australia, the Labour Party says.

Wellington, July 14 NZPA - Greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector decreased 7 percent last year, the Ministry of Economic Development reported today.

By Matthew Backhouse of NZPA Wellington, July 14 NZPA - Tertiary educators could try to "game the system" if their funding was linked to students getting jobs, Labour says.

Wellington, July 14 NZPA - Employers and unions are backing a Labour MP's bill that would give local businesses an edge when they tender for big government projects.

Wellington, July 14 NZPA - Discounts on ACC levies for businesses with good safety records will encourage some employers to cover up workplace accidents, opponents say.

By Maggie Tait of NZPA Wellington, July 14 NZPA - Tertiary education funding should be linked to students getting jobs, Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce says.

Wellington, July 14 NZPA - Businesses will receive up to 50 percent discounts or penalties on their ACC workplace levies from April next year, depending on their claims records, the Government has announced.

By Maggie Tait of NZPA Wellington, July 14 NZPA - The Government has signalled a crackdown on tertiary educators who are ramping up non-academic levies.

Wellington, July 14 NZPA - The expulsion of Australia's acting high commissioner from Suva will further isolate Fiji from the international community, says Britain's Foreign Minister.

Wellington, July 14 NZPA - The number of people on the unemployment benefit rose by about 2000 in June, Social Development Minister Paula Bennett said today. The number of people on any welfare benefit rose by 1.1 percent.

Wellington, July 14 NZPA - Businesses will receive discounts on their ACC levies to provide stronger incentives to improve workplace safety, ACC Minister Nick Smith announced today.

Wellington, July 14 NZPA - The Maori Party has added its voice to calls for restrictions on foreign ownership of New Zealand land.

By Matthew Backhouse of NZPA Wellington, July 14 NZPA - The Government is defending cuts of more than $20 million to mental health programmes, saying it is providing more services and pumping more funds into mental health than ever before.

Wellington, July 14 NZPA - The Government is going to reform or repeal the "claim of right" defence successfully used by the defendants in the Waihopai sabotage case, Justice Minister Simon Power said today.

Wellington, July 14 NZPA - The Government has signalled a crackdown on tertiary educators who are ramping up non-academic fees.

Wellington, July 14 NZPA - The Government will either reform or repeal the "claim of right" defence successfully used by the defendants in the Waihopai sabotage case, Justice Minister Simon Power said today.

Wellington, July 14 NZPA - Labour has drafted a bill to give local businesses an edge when tendering for large government projects. Dunedin South Labour MP Clare Curran drafted a member's bill, the Kiwi Jobs Bill.

Wellington, July 14 NZPA - The Maori Party has kept a low profile over the arrest of anti-whaling campaigner Pete Bethune... until today. Maverick Maori MP Hone Harawira says Mr Bethune is a hero.

Wellington, July 14 NZPA - New Zealand rower Rob Hamill is going to Cambodia to be in court for the sentencing of the Khmer Rouge henchman who headed the prison where his brother Kerry was tortured and killed.

Wellington, July 13 NZPA - Foreign Minister Murray McCully has called his Fijian counterpart to protest the expulsion of Australia's acting high commissioner to Suva, which he says was a "completely unjustified" action.

Wellington, July 13 NZPA - A Green Party MP says he will spend a night in jail if the Government can build a private prison at Wiri in south Auckland for $300 million.

Wellington, July 13 NZPA - Accusations that the Government is doing hardly anything to fight obesity have been rejected by the Food and Grocery Council which says the claims are "inflammatory nonsense".

Wellington, July 13 NZPA - A domestic violence brochure launched today in 10 different languages aims to help prevent women in ethnic communities from suffering in silence. The brochure provides information on the law, relationship rights, partner abuse and where to seek help.

Wellington, July 13 NZPA - A Maori Party bill that would remove GST from healthy food could come up for debate in Parliament in the next few weeks.

By Maggie Tait of NZPA Wellington, July 13 NZPA - The Government has confirmed it is axing a scheme to get more people to plant more trees, saying it is not needed now there is an Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).

Wellington, July 13 NZPA - Fiji's decision to expel an Australian diplomat is disappointing and shows the country does not care about maintaining relations, Foreign Minister Murray McCully says.

Wellington, July 13 NZPA - Documents show the Government plans to axe a scheme to encourage people to plant new forests, a move Labour says is foolish.