Demelza Leslie
Focus on Politics for 14 October 2011
The National Party gained the lion's share of the provincial seats at the 2008 election, leaving Palmerston North as the only general seat outside Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland held… Audio
Parliament's cleaners show life on the minimum wage
Parliament's cleaners have put on a lunch for politicians today to show them what life on the minimum wage is like. Audio
Douglas bids parliament second, final farewell
The 42 year political career of Sir Roger Douglas finally came to a close last night when he gave his valedictory speech to Parliament. Audio
Submitter breaks down in front of parliamentary committee
The sister of one of the four people still facing charges after the Urewera raids broke down in front of a parliamentary committee last night as she described feeling victimised by covert… Audio
Act MP throws weight behind Brash's call for drug debate
The Act Party MP, Heather Roy, has thrown her support behind Don Brash's call for a debate on marijuana law reform. Audio
Act's leader is accused of trying to make headlines
The Act Party leader, Don Brash, says people who fight off lawbreakers in their homes or businesses should be given greater legal rights to use force. Audio
Peter Dunne says Act Party is in disarray
The Act Party leader, Don Brash, says the time has come to decriminalise marijuana use and he also wants people who defend themselves against criminals to have greater rights to use force. Audio
Labour says its capital gains tax policy is a game changer
The Labour leader's told a group of business leaders his party's capital gains tax policy is a political game changer. Audio
Green Party says Govt trying to rubber stamp transmission gully
The Green Party says the Government is trying to rubber stamp the Transmission Gully roading proposal north of Wellington with its decision to refer it to an independent board of inquiry. Audio
Greens back Labour's new education policy
Labour says it will dump the controversial national standards for reading, writing and maths introduced by the current government. Audio
Ocean regulation bill passes first reading
Legislation imposing stricter environmental regulations in New Zealand's oceans has passed its first reading in Parliament. Audio
Report calls for urgent policy changes
The latest report on child poverty is calling for urgent policy changes to improve the lives of 200-thousand New Zealand children. Audio
National standards branding autistic children as failures
Autism New Zealand says the new national standards are branding children with autism as failures. Audio
PM says not enough women on National's list
Just two women have made the top ten of the National Party's list of candidates for the general election in November. Audio
Act says Labour fixing employment problem it created
Labour's unveils employment package for young people but is accused by Act of offering an expensive band-aid to the problem it created when it scrapped the youth minimum wage. Audio
Child welfare, poverty important election issues
Child welfare and poverty are shaping up to be important issues heading into November's general election. Audio
One of Act's sitting MPs dropped from party's list
One of Act's sitting MPs, Hilary Calvert, has found herself off the party's list, even though she put herself forward for re-election. Audio
MP Hilary Calvert dropped from Act's list
Act has published its party list for the November general elections and one of the party's sitting MPs isn't on it. Audio
Super Fund defends itself over cluster bomb accusations
The Green Party has accused the Superannuation Fund of investing in companies that make cluster bombs and called on it to pull the money out. Audio
