Jane Patterson

Power Play - It's all about trust - and there's none between the two parties, especially at leadership level where it really matters.

The government has revealed a huge spend-up on roads, to come out of the $12 billion Infrastructure Fund. Video

Cabinet is forging ahead with the plan to create a new, super-sized public broadcaster, but ministers have taken some convincing.

The National Party is calling on the government to take stronger actions over the deadly new coronavirus, which originated in China and has so far killed 17 people with hundreds infected.

The mission is for a US defence agency touting itself as providing "eyes and ears" for the States in "critical places no humans can reach".

The inquiry into the allegations of sexual assault made by one Labour member against another has cast major doubts over the accuracy of the chief complainant's story.

The National Party is slating the delay of a final Cabinet decision on public broadcasting as the latest broken promise in the government's so-called "year of delivery".

A Cabinet decision on the future on RNZ and TVNZ has been delayed until early next year.

NZ First leader Winston Peters says NZ needs to have a public voice and that means RNZ needs to be protected. Video

Cabinet ministers have ordered more work to be done on the Northport proposal, to report back to Cabinet mid next year.

Government books are now expected to go into the red this financial year with a forecast deficit of $900 million, down from a Budget forecast surplus of $1.3 billion.

Power Play - The latest report on moving the bulk of Auckland's port operations to Northport will be released tomorrow, but Jane Patterson asks whether it will be possible for Cabinet to press ahead…

New information has emerged showing it was the New Zealand First chief of staff who identified potential conflicts of interest between a forestry company and two senior government ministers.

Despite New Zealand First lobbying hard at the Cabinet table, the Finance Minister says the case to move Auckland's port operations up north has not yet been made.

The foreign minister won't be calling in the Russian ambassador concerning comments made about New Zealand soldiers in Afghanistan.

Power Play - It's all about the 2020 election as Labour rejects "let's do this" in favour of "we're doing this", writes Jane Patterson.

The Labour MP charged with educating the party about dealing with abusive or inappropriate behaviour says it's a step in the right direction people are now talking openly about it.

Power Play - While the Labour Party can revel in this year's policy gains at their annual conference this weekend, there'll also be controversies to face up to, writes Jane Patterson.

A Waikato stud owner revealed as a New Zealand First donor says he doesn't care how the money got there, as long as it was used to benefit the party.

Power Play - Rumours of dodgy political donations, Winston Peters full of bluster and denial, and potentially a drawn-out series of combative but ultimately meaningless exchanges with the press…

NZ First leader Winston Peters has responded to allegations his party breached electoral law, saying he's confident the party has always acted within the law.

The fate of RNZ and TVNZ may soon be in the hands of Cabinet ministers, with a proposal to disestablish both broadcasters and create an entirely new public media entity.

Cabinet ministers now have a copy of a report urging the government to move the Auckland port up north, but say no final decisions have been made.

New Zealand's coalition parties are making an attempt to publicly kiss and make up after ructions over partnership visas and the impact on the Indian community.

Police have been talking directly to dozens of influential gang members to convince them to give up their banned guns, but it's yet to result in many illegal weapons being handed over.