Police Minister Judith Collins today received an assurance from Police Commissioner Howard Broad that the Police were meeting their responsibilities regarding the operations of Special Investigation Groups (SIG).

Green Party MPs Sue Kedgley and Catherine Delahunty expressed delight at today's decision by ERMA to ban the highly toxic insecticide endosulfan, effective from January 16th.

14 December 2008 - The Labour Party has welcomed the announcement by European leaders of a sweeping new package of measures designed to tackle Climate Change, Labour spokesperson for Climate Change, Charles Chauvel said.

Labour will vote against the Education (National Standards) Amendment Bill when it is introduced into the House later this evening.

The Government has turned its back on a sustainable biofuel industry in New Zealand and instead opened our borders to imported fuels that could contribute to world hunger and destruction of rainforests, says the Green Party.

Agriculture Minister, David Carter, has approved the purchase of a farm by the Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre in Masterton.

Green Party Co-Leader Russel Norman - speaking from a protest at Whangarei Harbour today - is calling for urgent action on the northland city's pollution crisis.

12 December 2008 - Labour Leader Phil Goff says legislation being rushed through Parliament under urgency, including the Bail Amendment Bill, the Sentencing Amendment Bill and the Education (National Standards) Amendment Bill, amount to nothing more than window-dressing.

12 December 2008 - Environment Minister Nick Smith and Fisheries Minister Phil Heatley have announced that rules governing aquaculture will be overhauled alongside the Government's wider review of the Resource Management Act (RMA).

12 December 2008 - The next Labour Government will repeal National's short-sighted and ill-considered fire-at-will legislation, Labour spokesperson Trevor Mallard confirmed today.

He criticised both the substance of the Bill and the process used to pass it.