The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is calling on Broadcasting Minister Kris Faafoi to rule out any taxpayer-funded purchase or bailout for Mediaworks’s channel Three.

Social Development Minister Carmel Sepuloni has welcomed the first reading of the New Zealand Superannuation and Veteran’s Pension Legislation Amendment Bill.

"Every New Zealander has a stake in New Zealand Superannuation and Veteran’s Pension," says Carmel Sepuloni.

Babies in Auckland aged six months and over can receive a free vaccination and children will all have access to vaccines, Associate Minister of Health Julie Anne Genter announced today at Papatoetoe High School.

New Porirua City Mayor looks forward to working for all residents

Anita Baker has been confirmed as Porirua City’s new Mayor in final results released last night.

Joining her on the new Council are:

Paula Southgate is officially the new Mayor of Hamilton, with 13,452 votes, ahead of incumbent Andrew King who received 10,315.

The final results, which include special votes, show no change to the provisionally elected councillors:

East Ward

Mark Bunting

Police Minister Stuart Nash is over inflating how many sworn Police Officers are on the force and he’s misleading New Zealanders, National’s Police spokesperson Brett Hudson says.

Portugal has been painted by pro-cannabis legalisation groups as a model to follow. Yet just last month, the mayor of Porto contradicted his previous pro-harm reduction position and endorsed reintroducing criminal penalties for drug use in public spaces.

Horizons Regional Council officially welcomes six returning and six new councillors following the final declaration of results for local body elections.

Horizons electoral officer Craig Grant says that all votes have now been counted and a council has been formed.

The blowout in the number of Māori benefit recipients to 56,500 is concerning and shows this Labour-led Government is failing Māori, National’s Māori Development spokesperson Jo Hayes says.

The final result of the Hastings District Council election has been announced, with Sandra Hazlehurst re-elected Hastings mayor.

All existing councillors who ran in the election were returned except for Jacoby Poulain in the Flaxmere ward who was replaced by Peleti Oli.