Nanaia Mahuta
Foreign Affairs Minister gives update on Tonga damage
Back to the situation in Tonga now as New Zealand Defence Force personel join efforts to restore essential services in the wake of the eruption and resulting tsunami. Joining Nathan Rarere is the… Audio
Tonga eruption: three dead, evacuations underway
Evacuations are underway in Tonga's hardest hit areas, with every home destroyed on Mango island and extensive damage elsewhere.
Aerial photos are beginning to show the extent of the devastation… Audio
Tonga eruption: three dead, others injured, NZ sends aid
Three people have been confirmed dead in Tonga following Saturday's volcanic eruption and subsequent tsunami, as aerial images show catastrophic damage to the island of Mango in the outlying Ha'apai… Audio
Tonga: Power being restored, damage assessments underway
NZ's Defence Force is expected to leave for Tonga this morning to assess damage from the weekend's volcanic eruption and tsunami.
A P3 Orion will leave as soon as it's believed to be safe, with ash… Audio
Foreign Affairs Minister on sending Defence Force, police to Solomon Islands
New Zealand will deploy Defence Force and police personnel to the Solomon Islands to help in the regional effort to restore order in the capital Honiara.
The island nation has been roiled by civil… Audio
New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta
New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta has unveiled the government's Pacific Resilience strategy, updating the Pacific Reset from three years ago. Audio
Three Waters: Minister responds to outpouring of opposition
The government's plans to push ahead with its three waters reforms have been called the "theft of local assets" , "disappointing", "devastating" and "unacceptable" by some councils, while others are… Audio
Mayors shocked mandating three waters reforms
Mayors around the country are describing their shock and dismay as they face being forced into the 3 Waters model by legislation.
The reforms will transfer the management of water assets from the… Audio
Local Govt Minister says case for water reforms is clear
The Government is pressing ahead with its nationwide three waters reforms, making them compulsory despite stiff opposition from local councils.
The government will now set up working groups to guide… Audio
When MPs close questions they open options
MPs ask a lot of closed questions during Question Time, but it's not a great way to get the answer you want, or any answer. Audio
Government pressing ahead with three waters reforms
The Local Government Minister may allow for more council influence in the contentious water reforms, but still refuses to rule out changing the law to force councils to sign up.
Under Three Waters… Audio
Pacific deep sea mining debate surfaces at UN
Deep sea mining debate in the Pacific region emerges at UNGA and in New Zealand. Audio
Support dogs and local body conflicts of interest
The members' bills that flew through Parliament this week, and those that failed; including bills on disability dogs, autonomous sanctions and local body conflicts of interest. Audio
Full throttle House work
After a month without progress on debating bills Parliament returned to the debating chamber this week for some full throttle law-making, making up for lost time. Audio
Australia signs new defence partnership with UK and US
The new security pact between the US, UK and Australia has already been denounced by China as "irresponsible", "narrow minded" and a "cold war mentality". The AUKUS pact will see Australia build a… Audio
Foreign Minister discusses Afghanistan's security situation
Two decades of a US-led war in Afghanistan appears to have left the country, and its security, in tatters. Explosions rocked the capital Kabul this morning killing more than 60 people, including 13 US… Audio
Fiji Govt under pressure to initiate Covid-19 lockdown
Pressure is mounting on the Fijian government to impose a national lockdown amid the worsening Covid-19 crisis in the Pacific island nation. Audio
Covid-19 in Fiji: Pressure builds for govt to change strategy
Yet more pressure is mounting on the Fijian government to impose a national lockdown amid the worsening Covid-19 crisis.
More than 16,000 people infected with the virus are in isolation - with a… Audio
Medsafe approval holding up Fiji vaccines - Nanaia Mahuta
Fiji is suffering from ever more Covid-19 deaths, including two pregnant women.
The country has had a week in which the daily figure of cases has topped 1000. Fiji now has more than 15-thousand… Audio
Water shake-up: Minister warns councils over costs of status quo
The Local Government Minister has announced the biggest shake up to water and sewer infrastructure in generations but local councils are already split over whether they'll get on board. The plans is… Audio