Focus on Politics

Simon Bridges ends the year as National Party leader, but how secure is his position? Elected after the resignation of Bill English at the start of the year, Mr Bridges inherited a large caucus stung… Read more Audio

The government now has a challenging plan for improving New Zealanders' mental health, having received the 200 page report from the Inquiry into Mental Health and Addiction. Audio

The Karel Sroubek saga came to a head this week with the Immigration Minister forced into an embarrassing about-face. Iain Lees-Galloway effectively over-ruled his earlier decision to let the Czech… Read more Audio

The Minister of Sport and Recreation job isn't one of the most coveted, or controversial. But Grant Robertson has taken up the role this past year with some clear ideas about what he thinks being a… Read more Audio

The Government this week formally announced the Royal Commission into abuse in state care, including that it will be expanded to include faith-based institutions. Our Deputy Political Editor, Chris… Read more Audio

If the government doesn't deliver specifically for Māori in next year's wellbeing Budget the 13-strong Labour Māori caucus is going to have a lot of questions to answer. That's the reality according… Read more Audio

Abortion, adoption and cannabis law are all political hot potatoes but the coalition government is in the midst of dealing with all three, starting with abortion, which the Law Commission reported… Read more Audio

The coalition Government is now a year old - a year which has seen intense activity for the new administration, but one which has also had its share of turmoil. RNZ's Political Editor, Jane Patterson… Read more Audio

There was only one story in town this week and that was the exposure of the National Party and its leadership to a range of hugely damaging accusations by its former MP Jami-Lee Ross. He has unleashed… Read more Audio

The Finance Minister has unveiled an unexpectedly large surplus and while that's good news economically, it brings with it other political pressures. Alongside the five and half billon dollars surplus… Read more Audio

New Zealand First this week floated the notion of a "Kiwi Values" contract which immigrants would be required to sign up to on arriving in the country. The proposal was raised at the party's annual… Read more Audio

Amid the flurry of stories about leaks, document dumps and the PM in New York, the government made the last push to pass the contentious Electoral Integrity Amendment Bill - better known as the waka… Read more Audio