Stories by Craig McCulloch

The National Party is demanding someone take responsibility after its MP Mark Mitchell said a New Zealand First MP was sent to scare him out of supporting a local project.

New Zealand First MP Jenny Marcroft was instructed to apologise to National MP Mark Mitchell, after being accused of threatening to use taxpayer cash for political gain.

The Electoral Commission is stressing Māori can vote for whatever party they want regardless of whether they shift between the general and Māori rolls. Video

Westpac is worried the government's attempted crackdown on multinational tax avoidance will act as a "sledgehammer" when an "ice pick" would do.

Justice Minister Andrew Little has introduced legislation to scrap the decades-old blasphemy law.

The review into how Labour handled complaints of sexual assault is expected to take up to three months and every party member will be contacted.

Defence Minister Ron Mark is denying any inappropriate use of military aircraft after revelations he has used them to fly to and from home. Audio

Treasury overstated how many children would be lifted out of poverty by the government's families package by 24,000.

New Zealand has joined condemnation of a nerve agent attack in the United Kingdom and is calling for an urgent international investigation.

The environment watchdog wants Parliament to follow the United Kingdom's example and set up a climate commission.

New Zealand is committing an initial half a million dollars to help the emergency response in Papua New Guinea after last week's devastating earthquake.

Roughly 150 new state houses are to be built in the regions over the next few months, Housing Minister Phil Twyford has announced.

Homeowners could become "unwittingly embroiled" by the proposed foreign buyer ban and end up being left "high and dry", the Law Society says.

While DJ Jacinda Ardern has been immortalised in puppet form at the Backbencher pub, the owner was hesitant to give new National Party leader Simon Bridges his own caricature.

The government has no plans to cut off its relationship with top law firm Russell McVeagh in light of recent revelations of sexual assault complaints.

Ministry executives have faced questions over whether it's appropriate to keep using top law firm Russell McVeagh given recent revelations of sexual assault complaints.

New Zealand First MP Shane Jones has ruled out taking a tilt for the party's deputy leadership position, saying he has enough on his plate.

State Services Commissioner Peter Hughes has defended the office's million-dollar makeover as "value for money".

National MPs will vote next week on whether Paula Bennett should stay on as deputy alongside their new leader.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has sent a clear signal to her ministers not to have sex with their staff, but won't go as far as Australia in explicitly banning such behaviour.

New Zealand's spy agency has joined widespread condemnation of the NotPetya attack.

The government is softening the penalty for students who try to rort the fees-free tertiary study scheme, but it says it will make it easier to punish lawbreakers. Audio

The race to find a new leader for the National Party is underway with MPs expected to declare their intentions in the coming days.

A report into the state of housing in New Zealand paints a "sobering picture" of the crisis and its effects, particularly on children, Housing Minister Phil Twyford says.

National leader Bill English says he's "not surprised" his MPs have rallied behind him at the party's annual caucus retreat, insisting questions of his support are "not an issue".