This week brought some more clarity to the country's Covid-19 vaccine programme as Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern revealed the first details of the wider roll-out to the general population. RNZ deputy political editor Craig McCulloch takes a look at the Government's plans for "Stage Four".

About 30,000 nurses, midwives and other health workers have been on a seven-hour strike after nurses voted to go ahead with a strike having rejected a revised pay offer from district health boards.

Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison made use of the Trans-Tasman travel bubble, flying into Queenstown for a sit-down meeting with NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern - one of her first since the Covid-19 pandemic.

Samoa is in the grips of a constitutional crisis: a bitter power struggle between two competing governments and two political heavyweights. Both sides are claiming power and accusing the other of a coup. RNZ deputy political editor Craig McCulloch breaks down the turmoil in a country not used to instability.

Beneficiaries will reap the rewards of this year's Budget with a welfare boost billed as the "biggest in a generation".

Race relations have been a flash point for conflict and reconciliation in NZ politics over the years. National leader Judith Collins reignited the fire this week with her speech to party faithful. RNZ Political Editor Jane Patterson has this week's Focus on Politics.

 

RNZ Political Editor Jane Patterson

RNZ Political Editor Jane Patterson asks: how is New Zealand's relationship with China?

RNZ Political Editor Jane Patterson takes a deep look into the state of emergency housing across the country.

Health Minister Andrew Little this week announced an extraordinary overhaul of the health system, scrapping all 20 DHBs and putting a new entity in their place. RNZ health correspondent Rowan Quinn digs into the detail of the announcement no one saw coming.

The government has placed a temporary ban on all travel from India - leaving Kiwis there stranded, unable to come home. In the same week it has begun to ease border measures, announcing it is now safe for the Trans-Tasman bubble to open.