Opposition parties say new Treasury forecasts that the Crown's books will not return to surplus this year as promised by the Government are an embarrassment.

Costs associated with the Christchurch rebuild account for the bulk of $214 million of unauthorised public spending in the past year, according to a new review.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce has confirmed it would be harder to justify government funding if the America's Cup is Bermuda-bound in 2017.

New Zealand's fiscal outlook is not dire, but threatens to become so if the issues of an ageing population and poor-quality government spending are not addressed, says the New Zealand Initiative.

The Ministry of Social Development has signalled a need to “explore options relating to the age of eligibility” for NZ superannuation, and wants a review of benefit rates to tackle child poverty.

It was advertised as the Labour Party's last big policy of the election campaign. So small was it in size and so opaque was its intention that Labour's motive was anyone's guess.

This week a nation heads to the polls for one of the most important votes in its history, Liam Dann writes.

As expected, the National Party's announcement yesterday on proposed tax cuts was short on specifics and long on conditionality.

The last remaining 55 of world's rarest species of dolphins could disappear within three decades if New Zealand doesn't act now, wildlife advocates say.

PM John Key has hinted National is working on its own legislation to extend paid parental leave - but will it match the 26 weeks Labour is pushing for?

'Where's it all coming from Sunshine?' asks National of Labour's new child policy that will give most parents of newborns $3000 a year.

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett is naturally happy to attribute a big reduction in the state's welfare liability to the Government's efforts.

Govt defends decision to award $8m ferry contract to a Bangladesh firm

Another major government information technology project is experiencing rising costs and delays and is yet to deliver on promised intelligence technology.

If ... parents had introduced children to newspapers ... rather than addiction to idiotic texting, they would be addicted to the world, writes Bob Jones.

The Government books are on track to deliver the promised surplus in 2014 - 15 but at $86 million, still a very small one, despite improvements in the economy.

Hone Harawira says he has no concerns about the Speaker looking into exactly what he did on his taxpayer-funded trip to South Africa.

Prime Minister John Key will get a $9500 pay rise this year and all MPs a $3500 increase under changes announced this afternoon.

This is the time of the year for resenting pay increases for members of Parliament, writes Bruce Slane.

To the extent the public took any interest in the recent local government elections, council debt levels were a common debating point, writes Bob Jones.

Editorial: Parliamentarians would face less wrath over salary increases if they demonstrated a genuine desire to rein in other ways they spend public money on themselves.

Prime Minister John Key has hinted the Remuneration Authority is lining up a good pay rise for MPs this year - but he believes it should be a small one.

Editorial: The Govt's finances have finished the last fiscal year in much better shape than expected - so it's time contributions to the NZ Super Fund resumed.

The Government's deficit shrank to $4.4 billion in the year to June, the smallest it has been for four years.

A justice sector advocate believes the Government should invest up to $40 million in upskilling Maori service providers for helping ex-prisoners.

The Community Probation Service says it has institutionalised Maori concepts in the hope it will cut reoffending rates.