Taxpayers have paid $500m-plus to subsidise big-budget movie makers. Is it money well spent, asks Karyn Scherer.

The parents of tens of thousands of preschoolers can expect to start paying more for early childhood care next year.

Standard and Poor's has put NZ on notice of a possible downgrade to its credit rating unless it reduces its reliance on imported savings.

The Defence Force may only be able to save up three quarters of the $300 million touted after the release of the white paper, Defence Minister Wayne Mapp said today.

Ill health costs the economy at least $5bn a year - with even bigger potential costs from those who drag themselves to work.

MPs gave themselves the perk, now they can do themselves a favour by getting rid of it.

The Govt's budget cash deficit is wider than forecast as an expected spending surge ahead of the increase in GST failed to eventuate and companies paid less tax.

Labour leader Phil Goff says proposed changes to ACC levies are the Government's way of moving to a user-pays, privatised system by "stealth".

Physiotherapy claims paid for by ACC have slumped by nearly a quarter, reflecting the social insurer's sharp cut backs in health treatment - at a time when New Zealand's rate of injuries is continuing to climb.

Phil Goff has released details of his MPs' expenses from July to September, ignoring Lockwood Smith's decision to withhold the information.