Jason Walls is Newstalk ZB's Political Editor and has years of experience working across print and radio.
Cutting my teeth in the world of business reporting, my economics degree served me well in delving into numerous Government budgets and dissecting various political parties' policies. After a stint at NBR and Interest.co.nz, I moved over to the Herald's Press Gallery office, where I covered elections, leadership changes, re-shuffles, riots, pandemics, and everything else in between. But my love of broadcast meant it was only a matter of time before ZB came calling. I started out as the Gallery's Chief Political Reporter, before being made Deputy Editor in mid-2022 and I took over as Editor early in 2023.
'A staggering sum:' $1b spent on emergency housing
A large proportion of the money has been spent on housing people in motels.
MoH trying to reach 500 Melbourne returnees; no new cases of Covid today
500 of the 5000 Melbourne returnees were unable to be reached by email.
Nash's new, significantly slimmed down, PFG – how it's different
The Govt's new look PGF tenth the size of the old one – there are some big differences.
PM, Hipkins deny accusations of vaccine roll-out delay
Push back comes after Ministry of Health quietly updated its vaccination timeline.
Budget 2021: 'What Kiwis are asking us to do' – PM hits back at criticism
The Budget spends billions on increasing benefits but keeps a lid on debt increases.
Budget 2021: Govt expects 'very sharp' drop in house price growth
'This is a very sharp adjustment in house prices but a very necessary one' - Robertson.
Watch: Cheese rolls and a new tie - PM, Robertson on today's Budget
After sharing a cheese roll with the PM, Grant Robertson will unveil the Budget.
Māori housing and child poverty initiatives likely to be biggest Budget winners
Both Robertson and Ardern have dropped hints these areas will get more funding.
Māori Party ejection sparks debate over 'racist rhetoric' in the House
It comes after two weeks of National attacking the Government over a 'separatist agenda'.
Watch: Haka in Parliament, Māori Party MP kicked out
"If we find this attitude acceptable, then I find this in disrepute," Rawiri Waititi said.
388k Covid vaccines dished out; Hipkins' message to Kiwis abroad
120,000 people have had their second doses of the Pfizer jab and are fully vaccinated.
Govt unveils 'monumental' new breast and cervical cancer prevention funding
Some $118m will be spent on a number of initiatives to fight breast and cervical cancer.
Govt unveils $200m tourism package to help struggling operators survive
The funding also includes money to help Covid-hit Queenstown to diversify its economy
Three new MIQ Covid cases; 87,000 people have both jabs
Officials will update how many vaccines have been administered in NZ.
Govt to roll out changes to make birth-certificate sex changes easier
New rules come into effect before more overarching self-identification rules are made law.
Major health overhaul - All DHBs to be scrapped for one national authority
All of New Zealand's 20 District Health Boards will be replaced by one.
New Covid case: Airport worker was vaccinated, cleaned high-risk planes
Prime Minister said the person was working in a 'high-risk' area cleaning planes.
Hundreds of families will be reunited as border exemptions widened
Split migrant families have been calling on the Government to 'be kind' for months.
Māori Party co-leaders confident donations above board amid police probe
Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer are 'comfortable' with the donations.
MIQ worker wasn't vaccinated; 20% of border staff yet to get jab
The worker wanted to get the jab but was in isolation, Ashley Bloomfield says.
Ardern to companies contracting frontline workers: Test your staff or face the consequences
There is a penalty regime for employers not regularity testing their frontline staff
Live: India-to-NZ travel ban - other high-risk countries also in spotlight
The travel suspension could extend to the US or Brazil if the situation changes.
Seven Covid cases in MIQ; 90,000 vaccine doses administered
Last week 66,000 vaccines had been administered in NZ. How many will it be today?
Travel bubble: 'Flyer beware' - the pitfalls to watch for holidaymakers
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called the bubble a 'win/win'.
'Run off our feet': Kiwis snap up Air NZ fares as Aussie travel bubble starts
The much-anticipated transtasman travel bubble finally has a start date.
'Fight of my life begins': Kiri Allan battling stage 3 cancer
'So now the fight of my life begins,' she said in a Facebook post this morning.
Fake Covid-test results being offered to help get people into NZ
Effectiveness of the pre-departure testing regime being questioned by experts.
Cook Islands travel bubble likely to begin in May
Ardern met with Cooks PM Mark Brown this afternoon, where the bubble was on the agenda.
Infected MIQ worker 'low risk', sport stars in line for early vaccines
Olympic athletes will automatically qualify for early vaccines, Govt confirms.
Housing plan: $3.8b for new houses, speculators horrified by 'crazy' tax changes
First home buyers have been given a lifeline.
Ardern's housing package to 'tilt the balance' to first-home buyers today
She will announce the plan today and says it will help 'curb rampant speculation'.
Eight new Covid cases in MIQ, vaccine schedule tool now online
The total number of active cases in New Zealand is now 63.
First Kiwis fully vaccinated, very small number of people have declined
There are no new community cases of Covid-19 but three in managed isolation.
Live: No new Covid-19 cases in the community, one in MIQ
It's a month since the first Valentine's Day community case, and all NZ is now at level 1.
Live: Zero cases overnight but NZ must still wait; school at centre of cluster refers abuse to police
The Prime Minister has made it clear we're in this for seven days.
No new cases, 9000 Kiwis vaccinated - Govt under fire over 'confusing' messages
There were no new community Covid cases yesterday – NZ is 'not out of the woods yet'.
Crackdown on rulebreakers could backfire, Bloomfield warns
PM Jacinda Ardern said lockdown breaches were not tolerable – but punishment not her call.
Live: 'No excuse': Covid case had contact with infected family during lockdown - PM
"It was important for everyone to be truthful when speaking to officials" - PM
Now there's a Case O - new community Covid case announced
A new community case of Covid-19 was announced just before 6pm.
No new community cases; Ardern warns 'Covid kills'
The lockdown measures are to save lives, PM says.
No new community cases of Covid, 'no need' to raise alert level
Half of all Papatoetoe High School students have been retested - all negative so far.
Live: Child poverty slightly decreasing, but impacts not shared equally
Māori, Pasifika and households with disabled children lag behind in poverty measures.
New outbreak clue? 'No stone unturned' in hunt for source
Source of six community cases might never be found, officials admit.
New cases: School closed until Friday
The two new cases are siblings and one is a close contact of original community case.
Alert-level D-Day - Nat MP's 'big call' over level 3
Covid-19 Minister Chris Hipkins 'optimistic' ahead of Cabinet decision.
Suburb at centre of outbreak hunkers down; long waits for tests
Long queues at Papatoetoe High School testing site this morning.
New cases are UK strain - long wait at school's pop-up testing station
'We have stamped out the virus before, and we will do it again.'
Live: Auckland at level 3; rest of NZ at 2 - what you need to know
A sudden and dramatic change in NZ's alert levels after three positive cases.
Tie debate: Mallard says he and Māori Party reached 'a truce'
The Māori Party co-leader is allowed to speak after yesterday's dress code clash.
Dress code standoff: Māori Party MP kicked out over no tie
Stoush between Speaker and MP the latest in an ongoing skirmish.
Two new MIQ Covid-19 cases - one whose positive test came back while in hospital
Officials will likely release more information about the new Hamilton case.
'Scratching our heads a little' - official on latest Covid-19 community cases
The person had been in self-isolation since leaving the Pullman seven days ago.
Family member of Covid community cases tests positive
The new case has been isolating since last week.
Māori Party won't go to Waitangi amid Covid-19 concerns
Party's co-leaders say they will err on the side of caution after receiving iwi advice.
Four new Covid cases in managed isolation, One from UK
The person from the United Kingdom tested positive during routine testing around day 1.
One new Covid case in isolation, officials to reduce daily updates
There are no new community cases and one case in managed isolation.
Live: No new Covid cases today
Three previously reported cases have recovered, taking total number of active cases to 56.
'Down to business': Govt to double sick leave from five days a year to 10
But National has come out against the move, saying it would 'make our economy crook'.
White Island owners, two govt agencies charged over eruption
The island is owned by the Buttle family, through Whakaari Management Limited.
Live: Govt orders supermarket probe - do we pay too much for groceries?
Kiwi households spend roughly 17 per cent of their weekly expenses on food.
PM defends stretched isolation hotel voucher system
PM briefs media after her new Cabinet's second meeting today.
Davis rules himself out as Deputy PM, will Robertson run?
Jacinda Ardern said she 'fully supports' Davis' decision and said he has her full support
Exclusive poll: How Kiwis are really feeling about house prices
Should house prices rise or fall? Kiwis have their say and it may surprise you.
National up in new poll, but still well behind Labour
National has experienced a slight bump, while Act continues to trend up.
Collins v Ardern - how debate unfolded; Hosking takes aim at John Campbell's style
Collins claimed victory; Ardern said politics is not a blood sport.
The $4b catch in Labour's 100% renewable energy policy
Next government will need to spend $4b on an energy generation plan.
Labour's new tax rate for high earners, PM says it's 'best for NZ'
The tax rate hike would generate $550m a year.
Ardern promises $1.5b boost to small business loan scheme
Labour wants to keep the 'engine room of our economy humming'.
Labour to unveil blitz on bank fees in new policy today
It is understood Labour's small business policy will address NZ's high paywave fees.
'Its time has come': Labour promises to make Matariki a public holiday
It would be NZ's 12th public holiday, starting in 2022.
Four new Covid cases today, two in the community
The Auckland cluster now has 161 people linked to it.
Watch: 5 new Covid cases, Collins v Ardern in Parliament
Three are in the community. All linked to the Mt Roskill mini cluster.
Auckland set for 'level 2.5': Two new cases as PM outlines new rules, fumes over Govt Facebook message
Two new cases, lockdown leave confirmed, and anger from PM about wrong testing messages.
12 new Covid cases: 5 in the community; 11 people in hospital
Four of the new community cases are linked to the "mini cluster".
NZ's new normal - level 1.5? Ardern points finger in border debacle
Ashley Bloomfield seems to be pitching a pseudo level 1.5 – the Govt appears open to it.
Watch: 'Challenging times' but new election date can be catered for, says commission
PM has announced the election has been moved from September 19 to October 17.
Seven new Covid cases today - 6 linked to cluster, 1 being investigated
Hipkins said this morning the new cases all appear to be linked to the Auckland cluster.
Level 4 lockdown 'not in frame' despite new cases: Hipkins
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will reveal if the lockdown will be extended at 5.30pm.
Judith Collins calls for election to be delayed; attacks 'lack of transparency'
She wants the election shifted to 'a date later in November' - or even next year.
Crime crackdown: National promises new gangs unit and tougher punishments
Judith Collins said a National government would be tough on gangs
