Social Development Minister Paula Bennett says children are being treated like dogs, as figures show serious cases of abuse against babies have leapt by two-thirds in just two years.

Higher tobacco taxes are a first step to reducing numbers of smokers. Martin Johnston looks at what else could be on the cards.

The Govt has cancelled pumping $430m into superannuation, tax credits and benefits that would have, in effect, been compensation for higher tobacco taxes.

A typical pack of 25 cigarettes will cost now $17 after tax hikes were bulldozed through Parliament last night.

Tobacco tax will jump 10 per cent from midnight, raising the price of a pack of 20 cigarettes by about a dollar to around $11.

Australian authorities are investigating the death of a toddler within 12 hours of her receiving a flu vaccination.

NZ's high rate of obesity is no surprise, because of its fat-promoting environment and love affair with cars, a nutrition expert says.

An increase in excise tax is among likely recommendations of a report into alcohol to be released next week, the Bill English says.

Kiwis could get quicker access to new and expensive medicines - and the Govt's bill could go up - under a free trade deal with the US.