Jane Patterson

Power Play - Considering this was a post-election victory get together, the Labour Party conference was a relatively locked down, low key affair, writes Jane Patterson.

Six-hundred new positions specifically to help children with special learning needs will start going into New Zealand schools by the start of 2020.

Mental health is likely to get a significant funding boost, the finance minister has indicated in his address to Labour party members.

In the red-lit Dunedin Town Hall, Labour members are reflecting on the 2017 election victory this weekend, a win few predicted at last year's conference.

The Czech drug smuggler granted residency by the Immigration Minister did return to Europe in 2009, court documents show.

The biggest challenge this year was dealing with the disciplinary issues relating to two of her ministers, says Jacinda Ardern as she takes stock after a year in government.

A year to the day since Labour and New Zealand First revealed details of their coalition agreement, Jane Patterson looks at the rocky moments and the wins of the government's first year.

National Party president Peter Goodfellow is defending his handling of a complaint laid against former National MP Jami-Lee Ross.

Parliament is holding its collective breath to see what's going to happen as MPs return to the capital today, after one of the most tumultuous weeks in recent political history. Audio

Former National MP Jami-Lee Ross has released a text exchange he had with party secretary Greg Hamilton about donations at the centre of the controversay engulfing the party.

Power Play - Don't worry about the allegations about electoral fraud, the comments about ethnic candidates and his own MPs are enough to put the National Party leader Simon Bridges on seriously shaky…

Power Play - Even the most long serving of Press Gallery reporters say they've seen nothing like the extraordinary political events that exploded at Parliament today, writes Jane Patterson.

National Party MPs are now meeting at Parliament to decide the fate of their caucus colleague Jami-Lee Ross. Audio

Power Play - The political career of National's MP for Botany Jami-Lee Ross is almost certainly over and he's looking to take leader Simon Bridges down with him.

Power Play - It's the political curse of Finance Ministers past - deliver a surplus and immediately come under pressure to spend large, writes Jane Patterson.

The government books remain in a healthy state, as Treasury reports the final results for the past financial year.

The government is promising more of New Zealand's rivers will be swimmable in five years' time, as it releases its plans for environmental change. Video

New Zealand is now willing to call out Russia for its involvement in international cyberattacks after confirmation from the GCSB, the prime minister says. Audio

An investigation into the National Party leak has been refused permission to trawl through staffers' communications for the several months before the actual leak happened.

The prime minister has announced an investigation into how the draft report detailing the incident involving sacked minister Meka Whaitiri was leaked.

Power Play - There are now two investigations underway into leaks that have targeted the leader of the opposition and now the prime minister, writes Jane Patterson.

Power Play - The ongoing Derek Handley saga has done little to promote public confidence in the government's "open and transparent" credentials, writes Jane Patterson.

The prime minister is facing accusations she misled Parliament after tech entrepeneur Derek Handley released copies of text messages between them.

New Zealand will extend its deployment to Iraq, but only until June next year.

The announcement of the government 'blueprint' has been dismissed as nothing more than damage control by the National Party. Video