Focus on Politics

The controversial Te Ture Whenua Maori Bill would make major changes to the way Maori control and develop their land, as well as removing some of the discretion of the Maori Land Court. The legislation is on track to be passed before the September election, but it still has its detractors.

Global trade now looks very different for New Zealand, with the withdrawal of the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership deal, and the imminent departure of Britain from the European Union. And talks for the upgrade of New Zealand's free trade deal with China start on Tuesday (April 25th), eight years after the agreement was first struck. Our political editor, Jane Patterson, asked the Trade Minister Todd McClay about New Zealand's priorities for the upgrade.

Parliamentary hearings on the thorny topic of voluntary euthanasia wrapped up this week. The select committee is now tasked with distilling the thousands of submissions and coming up with recommendations. Here's our Deputy Political Editor, Chris Bramwell.

Pollsters are rushing to reassure New Zealanders of their credibility ahead of this year's election. The sector's reputation has taking a drubbing globally after several major misses last year - most notably Donald Trump's shock victory in the US election. Here's our political reporter, Craig McCulloch.

A startling new book by the investigative journalists Nicky Hager and Jon Stephenson was released this week, raising questions about whether the New Zealand Defence Force committed war crimes in Afghanistan.

The issue of abortion law raised its head again this week, which in election year is never a welcome topic for political parties. The laws governing abortions in New Zealand are 40 years old and include out-dated and sexist language, but there is still political resistance to even initiating a review. Here's our Deputy Political Editor, Chris Bramwell.

The Prime Minister has taken a political gamble, and laid out a plan to increase the age of entitlement for superannuation - but not for another 20 years. Under John Key the National -led government refused to consider any change, but his successor Bill English says the time is right. Here's our political editor, Jane Patterson.

The revelation this week at-risk prisoners have been subject to inhumane treatment, has again raised questions about the country's mental health system. In one case a prisoner was tied down to a bed for 16 hours at a time for 37 nights in a row. The Government has acknowledged the number of people seeking out mental health services is growing and more needs to be done to meet demand. Here's our political reporter Mei Heron.

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The Government's been in damage control this week, after Maori leaders spoke out against a planned change to the care and protection system for children. The change, governing the placement of children in state care, places emphasis on a child's safety above everything else - leading some Maori to wonder where that leaves whanau. More than five thousand children are currently in the care of Child Youth and Family and almost two-thirds are Maori.

The government has once again found itself on the back foot over housing, during an ongoing debate about how it measures housing shortages, particularly in Auckland. It has also started the formal process of establishing powerful authorities to help fast track house construction around the country.