The Government is poised to overhaul the $843m pokie machine system.

Baby boomer bashing won't solve the problems, says Liam Dann.

PM Bill English is seeking changes to New Zealand's superannuation scheme at this year's general election, with plans to raise the age of eligibility from 65 to 67.

The Prime Minister's proposal to lift the retirement age has been rejected by National's likely coalition partners and opponents.

COMMENT: Is it a deft or a daft move, to begin raising the pension age in 20 years time?

The Government will need to do more for New Zealand Super if its rising costs are to be managed, experts say.

The government severely underestimated how many homeless people urgently needed a roof over their heads.

John Key says the opening of the books next week will spark a lot of debate about how the Government should spend its rising surpluses.

Auckland is falling off the pace in its natural tendency to produce disproportionately more economic output than the rest of the country.

The Christchurch city council is facing a multi-billion dollar problem as it tries to find an insurer and options to cover the network of underground pipes.

NZ's skills shortage was highlighted in the Budget yesterday with the Govt allocating $256.5m to promote tertiary education and apprenticeships.

COMMENT: With a record net migration gain of more than 68,000 in the year ending April, it's a problem that looks set to get worse before it gets better, writes Barry Soper.

COMMENT: The problem of families with children forced to live in third-world conditions is eminently resolvable, writes Bryan Gould.

The NZ government posted a budget surplus in the first nine months of the financial year, against a Treasury forecast for a deficit.

COMMENT: Unless we make it clear that we are not prepared to accept this erosion of our reputation for probity, the bad news will keep on coming, writes Bryan Gould.

COMMENT: As a group of MPs heads to South America to strengthen ties with overseas parliaments, Barry Soper looks at how exactly the public benefits from the trips.

A $23 million annual increase in development contributions collected by councils means the Government's reforms have failed, an opposition MP claims.

Prime Minister John Key has made an embarrassing disclosure of a link to a company specialising in foreign trusts.

The amount of money being spent on health care for Auckland is dropping as the population grows and the problem is getting worse.

But Finance Minister Bill English says he won't make any spending changes.

New half-yearly forecasts by Treasury have seen the $176 million surplus forecast for the current financial year turn into a $401 million forecast deficit, but Finance Minister Bill English says he won't make any spending changes to try and maintain a surplus. "It's not disappointing; it's just another Treasury forecast,"

It is high time for the Government to go easy and give itself more room to manoeuvre in setting fiscal policy, writes Brian Fallow.

Legal expenses at the Mark Lundy retrial have topped $2 million and the bill for the entire case is three times that amount.

Almost half of preschoolers referred to a government service because of learning or behavioural difficulties are not getting help quickly enough.

Remember the halcyon days of the nanny state - universal free health care and education, a fair go for all, semi-decent public broadcasting?

All has been revealed from Gerry Brownlee's $2100 a night 5-star hotel in Singapore to $15 for Tim Groser to have his shirt sleeves shortened.

We continue to live well beyond our means, and are likely to do so to an even greater degree in the coming years - hence our perennial need to borrow from overseas, writes Bryan Gould.

Sue Henry is at the forefront of protests against the sale, demolition or removal of state houses.

State house tenants from around New Zealand plan to march on Parliament against Government plans to sell 1600 houses in Tauranga and Invercargill.