The organisation behind the biggest-spending public servant says his $100 lunches were necessary.

The Pacific Islands Forum will be held in Auckland next September in the lead-up to the first game of the World Cup, the Herald understands.

Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples has reacted with horror to new figures showing Maori out of work is up from 14.2pc to 16.4pc.

Pressure is going on the Reserve Bank to stop hiking interest rates, after today's surprise jump in the unemployment rate.

Public servants have been told to cut back on expenses after some $875,000 was spent by chief executives between July 2008 and June 2010.

New Zealand's unemployment rate surged back to a 10-year high in the last quarter, rising from 6 per cent to 6.8 per cent, a leap which surprised analysts.

Will this be a conspiracy against the consumer?

New Zealand will boost the monitoring of Pacific fisheries to help an industry that loses more than $400 million a year because of poor enforcement.

For the first time in decades, a trilateral meeting between the US, Australia and NZ will be held.

The endorsement of Fiji's military regime by some Pacific countries is unlikely to affect the Pacific Islands Forum's suspension of Fiji, says Murray McCully.