Latest fromMinistry of Social Development

Ministry's mistakes cost taxpayers
Beneficiaries owe the Ministry of Social Development nearly $1 billion and about half of it is because of overpayments, official figures show.

Error marks living drivers as deceased
NZTA cleared its registry of deceased licence holders, only to have 23 inform it they were still alive.

New mums miss out on tax credits - study
About 36pc of first-time mothers, and 13pc of mothers who already had older children, were not aware of the Working For Families tax credits.

Power boss' $1.3m top Govt pay
Mighty River Power chief executive Doug Heffernan is NZ's highest-paid government employee with a $1.32m package.

Plan to chase leavers as school ends
A new national service looks ready to start next year to make sure every 16 or 17-year-old ends up in work or training after leaving school.

Minister's BSA complaint against TV3 to go ahead
A complaint by Paula Bennett over a news item which claimed she offered money to a solo mum is to go ahead.

Canterbury quake: Residents kicked out of damaged flats
Twenty-three people have reportedly been evicted from quake-damaged council flats without warning.

Be flexible with earthquake victims, English tells IRD, banks
Finance Minister Bill English has asked banks and the Inland Revenue Department to be flexible with Christchurch earthquake victims.

<i>Brian Fallow</i>: Income splitting hardest on poor
Peter Dunne's bill is unfair, unaffordable and unlikely to happen, writes Brian Fallow.