Police tonight named 12 more people who died in last month's Christchurch earthquake. Meanwhile, The people of Christchurch remain nervous about the future of rugby World Cup games in their earthquake-ravaged city.

The second reading of the bill to replace the Foreshore and Seabed Act has passed through Parliament and former Maori Party MP Hone Harawira wasn't there to vote against it - despite the bill being the reason for him leaving his party.

Tavern owner tells MPs change is needed to stop price-cutting

Former Governor-General Dame Silvia Cartwright has made a plea to the Government to be bolder on alcohol reform.

Paying overnight staff to sleep will cost more than $500 million over three years and changing the law may be considered, Health Minister Tony Ryall says.

The Maori Party today continued to hound Local Government Minister Rodney Hide over his attitude to Auckland Council's Maori Statutory Board, asking in Parliament what he meant when he said yesterday it was "inherently divisive".

Conflict over funding for Auckland Council's Maori board shows why it should never have been legally required, Local Government Minister Rodney Hide says, after Dr Pita Sharples called for his resignation.

Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples has called for urgent negotiations to repair a growing rift between Auckland Council and its Maori Statutory Board, and blasted Local Government Minister Rodney Hide.

False information from councillors is behind a dispute over funding for Auckland's new Maori Statutory Board, its chairman has alleged.