Craig Mcculloch

New Zealand is beefing up its powers to police the high seas as it faces the risk of becoming an easy target for drug smugglers. Legislation to crack down on drug trafficking passed its first reading… Audio

Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis first suggested on RNZ this morning that he didn't know prison population forecasts when he made the decision not to go ahead with a mega prison at Waikeria - but… Video, Audio

Inland Revenue has effectively pushed back today's deadline for thousands of people to file their GST returns because of technical glitches with its online system. Video, Audio

A 20-year-old man has been arrested and charged with four counts of indecent assault which occurred at a Young Labour summer camp in Waihi in February. Video, Audio

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has swung in behind his MP Shane Jones in his attack against dairy giant Fonterra, saying there needs to be accountability for the company's "massive loss". Video, Audio

In a humiliating about-turn, Justice Minister Andrew Little has dropped plans to repeal the three strikes law after New Zealand First refused to give its support. Video, Audio

Opposition MPs are demanding the Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis give some proper answers at Parliament, after what they call a breath-taking display of incompetence. Mr Davis fielded questions about… Audio

Employers are bristling at a planned radical shake-up in industrial relations - warning of a return to the 1970s. The Government has set up a 10-member panel to look into the best way to set up… Audio

The government is setting up a taskforce to look at the Holidays Act, which has long been criticised for being too complex, resulting in many employers underpaying their staff. Video, Audio

The Parliamentary showdown between the Opposition and the Speaker of the House, Trevor Mallard, remains entrenched - with National MPs saying they're not backing down. It comes after scenes of… Audio

National MPs have set a deadline of two o'clock today for Parliament's Speaker Trevor Mallard to explain his role in a story a National MP calling the Prime Minister "a stupid little girl" in the… Audio

Housing New Zealand has rejected suggestions it routinely blocks people from being bailed or paroled to state houses. But lawyers and the Justice Minister Andrew Little say there is a problem - and… Audio

Accusations over which political party spent more and how it was spent have been flying back and forth in the post-Budget mop-up. Political reporter Craig McCulloch reports. Video, Audio

Stressed farmers are turning on each other as officials struggle to contain the cattle disease Mycoplasma bovis. The number of farms under the shadow of the disease has exploded over the past week -… Audio

A Southland farmer is urging politicians on both sides to quit squabbling and take swift action to eradicate the cattle disease Mycoplasma bovis. Almost 300 farms are now under regulatory control… Audio

National's former Minister for Pacific Peoples, Alfred Ngaro, is criticising the government's massive boost in aid to the Pacific region, saying its priorities are wrong. The government is set to… Audio