Prime Minister John Key has made a second top-level intelligence and security appointment, as a Parliamentary committee starts hearings on the GCSB.

Resurgent Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is moving fast to set the political agenda and fix crucial policies.

MPs will give way to New Zealand soldiers - including SAS troops - and their families this evening for a ceremony in Parliament's debating chamber.

Aussie Prime Minister Kevin Rudd denies he's promoted a record number of women to his cabinet to stem a backlash among female voters.

Kevin Rudd's spectacular 'Messiah-like' comeback as Australian prime minister has given the ruling Labor Party a dramatic boost.

Julia Gillard wasn't sunk by sexism. She was sunk by economics, writes Liam Dann. That's not to say Australia's first female Prime Minister didn't have to battle some dreadful misogynistic rubbish.

US President Barack Obama is to meet members of Nelson Mandela's family during his visit to South Africa, the White House says.

Of the many distinguished world figures who came through Government House in my time, the most memorable has to be Nelson Mandela, who came to New Zealand in 1995.

The sustained protests in New Zealand against the 1981 rugby tour were well known to many black people, even those in prison, such as Mandela.

Labor Party politics in Australia can be a nasty and nail-biting business. The final episode between Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd, played out over the past 48 hours, reveals this to be the case.

It is the lot of many leaders to be more admired and appreciated abroad than in their own domains, writes the NZ Herald in an editorial.

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is firmly back in power and facing the harsh realities of rebuilding his Government.

Only Australians call it a "spill". However peculiar their coinage to describe the triggering of a party leadership vote, it's gloriously apt, writes Toby Manhire.

Kevin Rudd has urged fellow lawmakers to be "a little kinder and gentler" toward each other following the internal coup that ousted Julia Gillard.

Kevin Rudd has been sworn in again as Australia's prime minister, as it appeared likely the country will go to the polls earlier than planned September 14 election.

Labor has finally made the decision it ought to have taken long ago, but the counter-revolution has been extremely bloody and there are bodies all over the place.

Kevin Rudd will be sworn in as Australian prime minister - again - by the governor-general this morning following Julia Gillard's ousting as Labor leader.

Australians could be forgive who would be running a country of 22.3 million people and a A$1.5 trillion economy by breakfast today, writes Kathy Marks.

Kevin Rudd has won the Australian Labor Party leadership vote, defeating Julia Gillard by 57 votes to 45.

You can't help wondering how Julia Gillard's spin doctor had the folly to suggest staging a photo of her knitting a kangaroo, writes Kathy Marks.

A secretly-filmed video has recorded a people smuggler admitting to Indonesian police protection of the trade in boat people sailing to Australia.

It's unlikely belated Western military aid will help moderate rebels attend peace talks as equals, Instead, Washington should orchestrate an accommodation.

Ecuador's Foreign Minister said his country was "analysing" a request for asylum by fugitive United States intelligence leaker Edward Snowden.

The family of Nelson Mandela spent the day at his bedside as it emerged that his health is now "critical" for the first time since he was rushed to hospital.

Gillard has been the victim of appalling levels of sexism, writes Marian Sawyer. With some justification she has made her gender a political issue.

The Chinese Communist Party is notorious for the ruthlessness with which it pursues its opponents.

With an election due in September, Australian voters can only hope that there is much less talk about sexuality and nether-regions and more about policy, writes Irfan Yusuf.

Syrian state media had announced that "Operation Northern Storm" would retake Aleppo "within days" after regime forces captured Qusair at the beginning of June.

The ousted former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd must make a final, desperate bid for the leadership of the Labor Party within days.