A complaint about an anti-gay marriage brochure, criticised as being "extraordinarily offensive", has been dismissed by the country's advertising watchdog.

Culturally important substances such as kava could be captured by a law change which aims to stamp out harmful synthetic drugs, MPs have told Parliament.

Editorial: Any curb on freedom of speech is a serious step that should never be taken without good reason.

New iwi-run television stations could be part of the broadcasting landscape once pending legislation is passed, says the chairman of the organisation which will control Crown-allocated spectrum.

Police are considering trying to ban gang patches in New Brighton, Christchurch, after a flare up between gang members and ongoing intimidation.

"Who wins when the Auckland Council and the Government do not agree on the approach to affordable housing?" asks Mai Chen. "Or when Auckland's unitary plan should take effect?"

Speculation over Prime Minister Julia Gillard's leadership has reached a new pitch after a sudden shift among MPs dismayed at the state of the Government and the looming defeat of a key media reform package.

Revenue Minister and United Future leader Peter Dunne suffered a second setback less than 24 hours after his carpark tax was dumped.

Three out of four people back a law change to allow "correctional" smacking of children, a poll has found - but a child advocacy group says smacking is still unacceptable.

A genuinely secular state has no place in the finery and stresses of the weird and often wonderful ritual of a wedding, writes Toby Manhire.

Join us as we follow tonight's online debate on Louisa Wall's marriage equality bill.

Sue Kedgley looks at the Government's decision to remove charter schools and partially privatised state-owned enterprises from coverage of the Official Information Act.

The government administration select committee report to Parliament recommends the passing of the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill with certain amendments.

The unresolved issue of Maori water rights may yet have an impact on Mighty River's future operating costs.

New Zealand has become the second country in the world to approve plain cigarette packets.

The lowest price of broadband access is less important than ensuring consumers move as quickly as possible to high-speed fibre-based services, says Amy Adams.

Homeowners could have to pay more in Fire Service levies under a proposed shake-up of the way the service is funded.

They are public offices carrying out public functions. The act applies to most other public agencies and there is no reason at all why it shouldn't apply to these.

South Korea's decision to allow the introduction of covered bonds will help to diversify the Asia-Pacific regional covered bond market.