Jo Moir

Tenants unable to pay rent on commercial leases have been given a lifeline after almost two months of negotiations between Labour and New Zealand First.

More than half of a $30 million emergency welfare fund has been spent in just over a month, and many of those in need are foreigners and migrant workers who can't get home.

Labour's Māori electorate MPs are returning to the party list this year after a bold play in 2017 saw them sweep all seven seats.

Cabinet meets today and Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters says alert level 2 restrictions have to be discussed.

Tenants in the commercial property market continue to wait for Covid-19 relief while government coalition partners Labour and New Zealand First hammer out a deal.

The new National Party leader has defended the lack of diversity on his front bench, saying there are plenty of talented Māori in the wider caucus.

Senior National MP Amy Adams has backtracked on her retirement plans after a change of leadership last week and is ranked third in caucus following a minor reshuffle. Video

The animosity between National and NZ First shows signs of dissipating after new Opposition leader Todd Muller left the door open to working with Winston Peters and his MPs.

Former PPTA president Angela Roberts has ended years of speculation announcing she's contesting the Taranaki-King Country seat for Labour at the September election.

With less than 24 hours to go, National MP Todd Muller is on a sprint to pitch his case to all his colleagues ahead of a vote on the party's leadership.

Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has spoken to RNZ about his decision to appeal a high court decision.

Labour would be comfortably able to govern alone based on a Newshub Reid-Research poll released tonight. Audio

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has hit back at the opposition's "cynical politics" after they called her government's $50 billion Covid rescue package an election bribe.

A $50 billion Covid-19 rescue package poured out of the Crown coffers yesterday when the government revealed its rebuild plan - but it is the $20b blank cheque that has got the Opposition crying foul.

Labour's Manurewa MP Louisa Wall is pursuing legal action against her own party over a nomination that was accepted to contest her seat.

Tasmania's Premier and New Zealand's Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters are already talking about an idea for new direct flights to Hobart. Audio

New Zealand and Australia need to have the same goal and the same way of measuring it before joining in a trans-Tasman bubble, a public health expert warns. Audio

With consents for building projects set to be fast-tracked, some are worried it will put too much power in the hands of the ministers and block the voices of iwi and environmental protesters. Audio

Director General of Health Ashley Bloomfield has had to walk back comments made by himself and the Prime Minister yesterday about the country having achieved elimination.

Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters says some businesses could be saved if the country creates a trans-Tasman bubble - and he's open to starting on a state-by-state basis.

National's deputy leader Paula Bennett says she feels vindicated after a High Court judgment didn't go Winston Peters' way.

Economic scenarios released by the Treasury back the government's decision to go 'hard and early' in the fight against Covid-19.

The lockdown may be set to end in two weeks but region-based restrictions are still likely to be in place by the time of the general election, Justice Minister Andrew Little says.

Support is being rolled out for New Zealanders struggling with their mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic.

While Cabinet is discussing what's needed for NZ to return to alert level three, the PM's made it clear lockdown will run until 22 April.