Sports codes will apply to the government sports funding agency for support this year.

The New Zealand government's banking services are up for tender for the first time in more than two decades.

The last remaining 55 of world's rarest species of dolphins could disappear within three decades if New Zealand doesn't act now, wildlife advocates say.

PM John Key has hinted National is working on its own legislation to extend paid parental leave - but will it match the 26 weeks Labour is pushing for?

'Where's it all coming from Sunshine?' asks National of Labour's new child policy that will give most parents of newborns $3000 a year.

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett is naturally happy to attribute a big reduction in the state's welfare liability to the Government's efforts.

Govt defends decision to award $8m ferry contract to a Bangladesh firm

Residential prospects should never have entered university-council deal for much-needed sporting facilities, writes Brian Rudman.

The Government books are on track to deliver the promised surplus in 2014 - 15 but at $86 million, still a very small one, despite improvements in the economy.

Hone Harawira says he has no concerns about the Speaker looking into exactly what he did on his taxpayer-funded trip to South Africa.

Prime Minister John Key will get a $9500 pay rise this year and all MPs a $3500 increase under changes announced this afternoon.

This is the time of the year for resenting pay increases for members of Parliament, writes Bruce Slane.

To the extent the public took any interest in the recent local government elections, council debt levels were a common debating point, writes Bob Jones.

Editorial: Parliamentarians would face less wrath over salary increases if they demonstrated a genuine desire to rein in other ways they spend public money on themselves.

Prime Minister John Key has hinted the Remuneration Authority is lining up a good pay rise for MPs this year - but he believes it should be a small one.

The Government's deficit shrank to $4.4 billion in the year to June, the smallest it has been for four years.

A justice sector advocate believes the Government should invest up to $40 million in upskilling Maori service providers for helping ex-prisoners.

The Community Probation Service says it has institutionalised Maori concepts in the hope it will cut reoffending rates.

A Maori women's refuge is working with inmates inside and out.

Treasury officials, it seems, think a lot about inequality these days.

The Govt did a backroom deal with a private casino operator and is now demanding the right to tell the private operator what events it can run there, writes Deborah Hill Cone.

An new interactive tool developed by a Victoria University professor in conjunction with Treasury lets people address the Government's long-term financial pressures.

Government Chief Information Officer Colin McDonald is to get more powers and a bigger budget as the Government seeks to keep a lid on IT debacles like Novopay.

When the Government announced they'd be chipping in $36 million to get Dean Barker and his crew on the startline, there were howls of protest across the country.

The economic forecasts underpinning Thursday's Budget will need to differ substantially from those the Treasury offered in its half-year update six months ago.