Focus on Politics

Abortion, adoption and cannabis law are all political hot potatoes but the coalition government is in the midst of dealing with all three, starting with abortion, which the Law Commission reported back on late last month. A referendum on cannabis legislation is due by 2020 and adoption laws are also on the brink of being modernised. RNZ political reporter Jo Moir takes a look at why these issues are so polarising and how MPs are going to deal with the inevitable pressure of casting a conscience vote.

The coalition Government is now a year old - a year which has seen intense activity for the new administration, but one which has also had its share of turmoil. RNZ's Political Editor, Jane Patterson, sat down with the Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern and her deputy Winston Peters for a wide-ranging interview

There was only one story in town this week and that was the exposure of the National Party and its leadership to a range of hugely damaging accusations by its former MP Jami-Lee Ross. He has unleashed a campaign of vengeance against his former leader Simon Bridges and by association the rest of the National Party.

The Finance Minister has unveiled an unexpectedly large surplus and while that's good news economically, it brings with it other political pressures. Alongside the five and half billon dollars surplus the results for the 2018 19 financial year showed positive indicators for wage growth and employment.

New Zealand First this week floated the notion of a "Kiwi Values" contract which immigrants would be required to sign up to on arriving in the country. The proposal was raised at the party's annual conference and then backed by its leader Winston Peters, but has won very little support within Parliament. RNZ political reporter Craig McCulloch has more.

Amid the flurry of stories about leaks, document dumps and the PM in New York, the government made the last push to pass the contentious Electoral Integrity Amendment Bill - better known as the waka jumping bill.

With a major visit to the United Nations on the horizon, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has spent the past week clearing the decks before her departure. She's sacked a Minister and publicly squashed several coalition disputes, but the Opposition says she's just papering over the cracks. RNZ political reporter Craig McCulloch has compiled this report.

While differences between Labour and New Zealand First on policies like the refugee quota and three strikes have been aired publicly, there may more trouble on the horizon over industrial relations law.

The New Zealand First leader blindsided the Prime Minister this week when he scuppered Labour's plans to lift the refugee quota to 1500. Winston Peters had just landed in Nauru for the Pacific Islands forum, when he was asked about New Zealand's offer to take 150 refugees from Nauru and Manus Islands. He said that offer remained on the table - but in terms of permanently lifting New Zealand's refugee quota, it had to look after its own people first.

Focus on Politics for 31 August 2018