Jane Patterson

The Police Minister is adamant having an extra 1800 police on the streets will not lead to an increase in the prison muster.

There were fractious exchanges throughout the day between Housing Minister Phil Twyford and his National counterpart Judith Collins as she pressed him on social housing and Kiwibuild.

Senior government ministers have refused to be drawn into a full-blown coalition dispute over the three strikes law, with Labour and New Zealand First trying to shut the story down.

National claims the Labour-led government may have spent up to $200 million on working groups and reviews - but it says the known cost for about half of them is $114m.

Parliament's Speaker hopes to one day "blow the dust off" plans for a new Parliament building, once political circumstances change.

The government was warned by officials that if not handled well, its plan for future oil and gas exploration could have a "chilling effect" on investment.

Changes to student visas are in the pipeline that would restrict overseas students working and living in New Zealand once they finished studying.

Tourism and aviation industries are anxious about exactly how the government's proposed border tax will work.

Housing minister Phil Twyford and National's Judith Collins have gone head to head in Parliament over the affordability of KiwiBuild houses.

The National Party says its confidence in the Speaker of the House has been "severely shaken".

The government is expecting a final decision overnight about whether the European Union will formally approve free-trade agreement negotiations with Australia and New Zealand.

Power Play - This Budget will not set the world on fire but Finance Minister Grant Robertson will be happy enough to have stuck to his self-imposed fiscal rules, Jane Patterson writes.

Analysis - Defence is a portfolio involving vast sums of money, but doesn't hit headlines as much as the likes of health, education or housing.

New Zealand has conveyed its condemnation of Israel's actions along the Gaza border directly to its ambassador here, describing the loss of life as "devastating and one-sided".

Analysis - Health is a portfolio that demands huge amounts of money, and it will be no different under this coalition government, writes Jane Patterson.

Analysis - This week's Budget is a major test for the coalition government - can it deliver on its promises and meet expectations in the big ticket portfolios like education, asks Jane Patterson.

Chris Finlayson says he was made aware of a gap in the ability of the SIS to monitor terrorism suspects, but was not prepared to rush through legislation.

The government has freed up $700 million in the Budget after ministers reviewed all programmes and initiatives, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says.

The government is signalling changes to the list of 'high risk' industries that require health and safety representatives, from which agriculture was excluded under the previous government.

Power Play - Six months into the new government and the real test will be May 17th - the Budget.

The Corrections Minister has not looked to advance an idea he pushed while in opposition, to establish a separate Māori prison.

New Zealand is responding cautiously to news from the United States President Donald Trump may be reconsidering the revised TPP trade deal.

Power Play - The announcement of the end of future offshore extraction exploration shows how tricky it is to keep everyone in a three-way marriage happy, writes RNZ's Jane Patterson.

Outgoing National MP Jonathan Coleman is defending his record as Health Minister on the way out the door of Parliament.

RNZ chairman Richard Griffin is refusing to hand over a voicemail message he received from the Broadcasting Minister Clare Curran to a parliamentary committee.