Jane Patterson

The Health Minister has called himself an idiot and has told the Epidemic Response Committee that he stuffed up after breaching lockdown rules.

David Clark has been demoted after providing the Prime… Audio

RNZ's political editor Jane Patterson has been watching and assessing the government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, and how it's navigating the country through the realities and tensions of… Audio

The Police Commissioner has been questioned on whether the police's Covid-19 enforcement priorities are right, after admitting they failed to follow up with people returning from overseas.

Mike Bush… Audio

A lockdown in itself won't be enough to eliminate Covid-19 in New Zealand, Parliament's Epidemic Committee has been told.

The Health Minister, David Clark, and the Director General of Health, Ashley… Audio

New Zealand will be put into a State of Emergency within the next few hours, when Parliament resumes briefly this afternoon.

Parliament will then close down, ahead of the country-wide lockdown which… Audio

The Prime Minister has just briefed the nation, RNZ's political editor Jane Patterson joins the program. Audio

Cabinet ministers will meet in Wellington this morning, but half will be taking part by video link so they can keep a safe distance from each other.

The situation is so fluid ministers will have a… Audio

The country's border closed to foreign travellers for the first time at midnight.

The announcement was made at 6pm on Thursday, giving people planning to fly less than six hours' notice.

It's one of… Audio

The country's border closed to foreign travellers for the first time at midnight.

The announcement was made at 6pm on Thursday, giving people planning to fly less than six hours' notice.

It's one of… Audio

It's an uncomfortable position for a coalition Prime Minister - having a minister go rogue but having only two stark decisions - risk collapsing the Government or tolerate open defiance.

Comments… Audio

Founding director of GunPolicy.org, which compares armed violence, firearm injury prevention and gun law across three-hundred and fifty jurisdictions world-wide, Philip Alpers speaks with Kathryn Ryan… Audio

New Zealand is readying for a major economic shock as the world reacts with increasing alarm to the coronavirus outbreak which has now claimed 2,700 lives worldwide.

Although there are signs it may… Audio

Winston Peters is dodging questions about a Serious Fraud Office investigation into his party.

On Tuesday he played reporters a snippet of Queen's 'Radio Ga Ga' rather than answer questions.

RNZ… Audio

The Serious Fraud Office has laid charges relating to two donations made to the National Party - one in 2017 and one in 2018 - both of a $100,000.

At the end of last month the Office confirmed it was… Audio

While much of the focus has been on Concert FM, the chief executives of the two broadcasting companies heading for a merger - RNZ and TVNZ - have been talking about what the future might look like.

A… Audio

New Zealand First MPs will face questions about donations this morning as the party stares down a Serious Fraud Office investigation.

The Electoral Commission has been investigating the mysterious… Audio

The National Party may not be able to rely on partnering with the Māori Party after the election, even if that party is able to secure a seat to get itself back into Parliament. 

National… Audio

The Māori Party President says it now has a strong preference for Labour because part of the reason they lost their place in Parliament was the long relationship with National.

National's leader… Audio

Politics are never far away from the annual Waitangi commemorations, and this year has been no different.

Party leaders were welcomed onto the marae on the upper treaty grounds yesterday but it… Audio