The Queens Wharf design contest is a flop, says Auckland Regional Council chairman Mike Lee.

Tough decisions about prisons, education, pensions and tax need to be made if NZ is to avoid a looming Government debt crisis, says Treasury.

How can we expect an Australian standard of living when their productivity is about 40 per cent higher than ours, asks Brian Fallow.

After shambolic handling of the free to air row, politicians could be excused for hoping the World Cup rights deal will be done, dusted and under the carpet.

The Maori Party will not rule out supporting moves to open accident compensation to competition.

The exact cost to the Govt of its bid for the World Cup rugby rights won't be known until the bid is accepted but is "considerably under $5m", John Key said today.

John Key says there will be further negotiations on supporting ACC legislation with the Act Party, and possibly the Maori Party, today.

The father of NZ's accident compensation scheme says changes announced last week are 'uncaring and predatory'.

The Government has confirmed that accident victims may have to pay the first $50 or $100 of their costs.

The Government needs to borrow $250 million a week after the havoc wreaked by the recession on its books.

The Government faces an increased deficit due to extra spending and the effects of the recession, says Bill English.

Maori TV will continue to fight for the rights to the Rugby World Cup, saying the Govt's backing of TVNZ's bid is an affront to Maori.

The Beehive's decision to virtually order TVNZ to gazump Maori TV's Rugby World Cup bid has soured the Maori Party's relationship with National.