Labour's hypocrisy over mining has been laid bare, says Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee, after new figures released by Crown Minerals today showed Labour approved more than 200 permits for mining on the Conservation Estate.

The number of accident victims whose claims are being delayed or rejected while they are formally reviewed by ACC has more than doubled since National came to government, says MP for Wigram and Progressive party leader Jim Anderton.

Labour Leader Phil Goff is curious as to why the usually media-friendly Prime Minister seems to have mysteriously disappeared off the radar in the last few days.

"What could possibly be the reason behind this strange disappearance?" Phil Goff said.

The Government has no evidence that its regime of benefit cuts will move anyone from a benefit into work, the Green Party said today.

"This Bill is pure ideological beneficiary bashing," Green Party Work and Income Spokesperson Catherine Delahunty said.

The economy grew solidly in the final quarter of last year, but more work is needed to ensure a sustainable recovery that creates jobs and lifts the incomes of New Zealand families, Finance Minister Bill English says.

The Minister for Social Development and Employment Paula Bennett today announced she has accepted the resignation of the Chief Families Commissioner Jan Pryor.

Dr Pryor wishes to resign for personal reasons, effective the end of May.

Family First NZ says that the case of a Wellington woman wanting to starve herself to death is a sad indictment of our health and palliative care in New Zealand, and sends a dangerous message regarding the right to die and suicide.

The Government has totally relied on a mining lobbyist Richard Bakers' "back of an envelope" estimates of potential gross gold and silver "value".

Family First NZ says that the increasing level of parental abuse by their children is an unfortunate but expected outcome of the rise of children's rights and the undermining of parental authority.

New Zealand's dairy industry risks falling into the hands of overseas investors if the Key Government continues to loosen overseas investment rules, said Green Party Co-Leader Dr Russel Norman today.