People who are injured are having their claims ruled out because of a stealth policy change at ACC that the government won't acknowledge, Progressive Wigram MP Jim Anderton says.

Again today the Maori Party says it was not consulted on government policy changes that will hit Maori people hard, Labour's Maori Affairs spokesperson Parekura Horomia says.

Official documents have revealed the Government rushed the "Smartgate" electronic passport control system into New Zealand's airports against the advice of three Government departments, Labour's customs spokesperson Su'a William Sio said today.

John Key's Government has taken extreme and unnecessary steps in its sacking of Environment Canterbury (ECan), the Green Party said today.

National's decision to replace the Environment Canterbury Council with government-appointed commissioners for the next three-and-a-half years is an outrageous affront to democracy, says Christchurch Central MP Brendon Burns.

National Party MP Phil Heatley has welcomed the Auditor-General's report into expenditure while he was Minister of Housing and Fisheries.

Mr Heatley resigned as a Minister when the spending was questioned in February. He also requested that the Auditor General launch an inquiry.

The Chairman of Environment Canterbury, Alec Neill, has said that Environment Canterbury will work constructively with commissioners following today's government announcement that the council's elected representatives will be replaced by commissioners from the expected date of May 1, 2010.

Justice Minister Simon Power has today announced that Trevor Janes will become chair of Public Trust from 1 May.

Mr Janes will replace outgoing chair Donal Curtin.

The government has today announced that it is sacking the Environment Canterbury Council and replacing it with Commissioners who will be given special powers under a bill to be introduced to parliament later today.

Commissioners are to be appointed to replace the Environment Canterbury Council and given additional powers under proposed special legislation to address urgent problems with water management in Canterbury, Environment Minister Nick Smith and Local Government Minister Rodney Hide announced today.