Hone Harawira says it was "dumb" and shameful that he forgot to vote on the bill that was the main reason for his break with the Maori Party.

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.

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

Rugby fans from around the world will find out on Monday whether they have secured tickets to the semisand final of the Rugby World Cup in the third phase of the ticket balloting system.

The mainstream parties don't make their decisions based on what is fair, just or moral. They base it on ... politics.

Some surgeons are putting through claims they know won't be approved by ACC, its board chairman John Judge says.

The Government has bowed to pressure over the foreshore and seabed repeal bill and ditched a provision that would have allowed secret deals to be done with iwi to award customary title.

Phil Goff says a parliamentary committee ignored the "overwhelmingly" number opposed to the new foreshore and seabed legislation when they recommended it be passed without amendment today.

Sick and disabled NZers are taking legal action against the Australian Government over what they call a "discriminatory" law denying them medical care and other state support.