Catherine Hutton
Delayed family court review about to begin
The government's promised review of the beleagured family court system is about to get underway - three months later than it should have. It comes as the UN considers whether to send a special… Audio
Health Ministry struggling with pay equity - disability groups
Disabilty groups fear the Ministry of Health is struggling to meet its obligations under the pay equity law. Sixty providers have had an official letter offering a 15 percent funding increase to… Audio
Parents of disabled adults fed up with Ministry of Health
Those who look after their disabled adult children are offended and angry with Ministry of Health assessments. Many say they are designed to get the Ministry of Health out of paying families what they… Audio
HNZ may refund tenants for meth testing and repairs
Hundreds of tenants were needlessly evicted by Housing New Zealand, and more than $100 million of taxpayers money spent, on unnecessary decontamination. Video, Audio
Tests help reveal whether breast cancer patients need chemo
Calls are being made for genetic tests to be made more widely available and publicly funded so more breast cancer patients can avoid unnecessary chemotherapy. Audio
Govt breaking promise on North Island trains - union
The railway workers union says the Government is breaking its campaign promise to keep electric trains running on the North Island's main trunk line. KiwiRail says the electric locomotives need… Audio
Focus needed on community based mental health services
The six member inquiry heard from Police, DHBs, judges, mental health patients and community groups at its launch in Palmerston North. Video, Audio
Dominion Museum urges govt for funding
The owners of an historic building that houses Sir Peter Jackson's Great War exhibition say they want it back, and are urging the Governmment to end uncertainty about its future. For the past four… Audio
Social workers want registration law scrapped
Social workers want the goverment to scrap a proposed law to make registration mandatory saying it excludes half the country's workforce and doesn't do enough to protect the public. The Social Workers… Audio
Judges say don't blame them for Family Court delays
The Chief District Court Judge is welcoming a review of how the Family Court operates, saying changes made by the previous government are leading to long delays in having disputes resolved. She says… Audio
Labour flags changes to the Family Court
The Justice Minister, Andrew Little, says controversial changes to the Family Court aimed at getting lawyers out of family disputes do not seem to have worked and children often end up suffering. He's… Audio
Millions spent tackling domestic violence, but little effect
A $60 million programme to tackle domestic violence has drawn up thousands of safety plans for at-risk families but appears to be stepping in with actual help in only two percent of cases. Launched… Audio
More than $1m spent extraditing NZer to China
The Crown has spent more than one million dollars on a seven-year battle to extradite a Korean-born New Zealander accused of murdering a woman in China. Kyung Yup Kim has been fighting attempts to… Audio
How accurate are supermarket scales?
Almost a quarter of the shop scales tested by authorities last year failed to measure up to the minimum standard for accuracy. In the year to June, Trading Standards tested more than 600 weighing… Audio
Round the Bays fun run allows kids on scooters
The annual Round the Bays run around Wellington's waterfront next month will for the first time allow some children to do the event on their scooters. The children who get to use the scooters are… Audio
Insects bask in hot weather
Humans are not the only ones enjoying the hot weather. Audio
Wet weather predicted for February
Despite the drought conditions in many parts of country, NIWA is forecasting wetter weather for February. Audio
First financial literacy programme run in Tongan language
Vaka Tautua's programme which helps Pasifika people under severe financial pressure is so successful it met one of its annual targets in five months. Audio
'System' blamed for Havelock North gastro failings
The Ministry of Health says it doesn't accept all the responsiblity for gastro outbreak in Havelock North. The Ministry's acting director of public health Dr Stewart Jessamine says the system is to… Audio
Great War exhibition's budget blowout leaves ministry in debt
A budget blow-out involving Sir Peter Jackson's Great War Exhibition has left one of the country's smallest ministry millions of dollars in debt. The Ministry for Culture and Heritage was supposed to… Audio