A prominent British science writer has slammed New Zealand's clean, green reputation, calling it a "green mirage".

Gordon Brown has announced tough new rules on student visas and cut the number of skilled foreign workers allowed into Britain.

Taxpayers will be stuck with 84 per cent of NZ's Kyoto Protocol bill, while farmers and industrial emitters get hefty subsidies, a study says.

Labour MP Trevor Mallard has outed himself for using his taxpayer-funded travel perk to jet to London to watch the All Blacks play.