The Council of Trade Unions today deplored the threatening of three corrections officers by ACT MP David Garrett as they made a submission to the Parliamentary Select Committee hearing on prison privatisation.

The Environmental Defence Society (EDS) has expressed its profound disappointment at the government's failure to back better protection for New Zealand's endangered marine animals. Last evening National and ACT combined to throw out the Marine Animals Protection Reform Bill.

Health Minister Tony Ryall has told Parliament today that Pharmac's planning is well advanced on how it will spend tens of millions of dollars in new medicines funding. Mr Ryall said, "$31 million of the new money has been added to Pharmac's Community Pharmaceutical Budget.

Defence Minister Wayne Mapp will represent New Zealand at the third triennial France-Oceania Summit in Noumea on Friday 31 July. "France is an important player in the Pacific region," said Dr Mapp.

Expenses claimed by members of Parliament will be publicly available every three months, the Prime Minister, the Hon John Key, and the Speaker of the House, the Hon Dr Lockwood Smith, have announced.

Libertarianz health spokesman Dr Richard McGrath said he shares the concern of his Auckland colleague, cancer surgeon Isaac Cranshaw, over the incidence of melanoma skin cancers, but feels a ban on sunbeds is not the best way to tackle this problem.

Tariana Turia today congratulated Tainui woman and pharmacy assistant Te Ana Simmonds for the work she has been doing to help free people from the smoking addiction.

Justice Minister Simon Power welcomes the release today of the Law Commission's issues paper on the reform of New Zealand's liquor laws.

Corrections Minister Judith Collins today announced that three additional Drug Treatment Units will be operating in New Zealand prisons by December 2011, doubling the number of prisoners able to undertake rehabilitation.

Green MP Sue Kedgley is calling on the government to take immediate action to regulate the sunbed industry following confirmation by the International Agency for Research on Cancer that they are carcinogenic to humans. "There can be no excuse for inaction now," Ms Kedgley said.