The sponsor of a bill to make gay marriage legal thanked her "darling" partner before a historic vote on the last step towards marriage equality.

Parliament has passed a law legalising gay marriage, 77 votes to 44, amid loud shows of jubilation from the floor and gallery.

The sponsor of a bill to make gay marriage legal has thanked her "darling" partner, ahead of an historic vote on the last step towards marriage equality.

Dame Susan Devoy admits it will "take time to understand a Maori viewpoint" - and promises her actions as Race Relations Commissioner will speak louder than her words.

The Government says there are 29,000 fewer Kiwis receiving benefits since the last quarter - including hundreds who had theirs cut after being caught claiming them unfairly.

A subsidy that has helped to insulate about one in every six low-income homes looks likely to be cut back in next month's Budget to a more targeted scheme.

The Government has been urged to introduce facial-recognition technology for poker machines to restrict problem gamblers as part of an overhaul of gambling laws.

New Zealand's infant mortality rate has fallen to 4.2 in the latest Statistics NZ figures for 2012.

The number of beneficiaries who have had their income cut after failing to meet work-testing requirements has doubled under National and is set to rise further.

Buskers, beggars, bucket-shakers - and a saintly young man called John simply wanting to tell his fellow Aucklanders they are "perfect" - Queen St has them all.

Paula Bennett ate her pets - and she's taken a similar hardline stance on her changes to the welfare system under which only the most disadvantaged will be left alone.

A family with three autistic children have been told they need to manage their children's behaviour if they want to get a state house.

I am constantly surprised that modern women are still under the misapprehension that they're going to find their identity in marriage, writes Deborah Hill Cone.

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

Police have denied there is a problem with underage prostitution, writes Dave Crampton. Perhaps this is because nobody has laid a complaint with the police?

Asians are dominating in visitor and international student numbers and in most family-migration categories to New Zealand.

"As a nation do we drink too much?" asks Roger Hall. "Many societies can enjoy themselves without alcohol being involved."

The bars on Ponsonby Rd are pumping when I turn up at the Auckland office of the New Zealand Prostitutes' Collective, behind an unassuming frosted-glass window at the western end of Karangahape Rd.

How can a second-term government - often distracted by its own blunders - continue to poll around the record levels it was elected on, asks Bryce Edwards.

At yesterday's Palm Sunday service Pa Petera Tipene was causing a few of his female parishioners to run for the back ranks.

The Government's transport safety regulator has finally decided to investigate the train accident that almost killed a young woman in a wheelchair on an Auckland level crossing.

The reaction to the appointment of Susan Devoy as the new Race Relations Commissioner demonstrates NZ's sensitivity on Maori issues, writes Bryce Edwards.

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

Following the second reading of my marriage bill last week, there has been a concentrated move from those opposed to my bill to argue that it will "enable gay adoption.

A flying-fox and a lollipop shop were among the first items suggested when the children of Taurus Cres were asked what they wanted in their local park.