Politics

The National Party has elected Judith Collins as its new leader to replace Todd Muller. deputy is Gerry Brownlie. Collins, 61, was first elected as an MP for Clevedon in 2002 and has been part of six Parliaments. The MP for Papakura has been the shadow Attorney General since May and holds the Nation

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has launched an investigation in relation to donations made to the Labour Party in 2017. In a statement, the SFO said it was conducting four investigations in relation to electoral funding, and a fifth was now before the courts. “We consider that making the current ann

Todd Muller has resigned as the National Party leader. In a statement Muller said he had taken time over the weekend to reflect on his experience over the last several weeks as leader of the opposition. “It has become clear to me that I am not the best person to be Leader of the Opposition […]

National MP Hamish Walker has announced that he will not be standing for re-election for the Southland electorate at the upcoming 2020 election. The backbencher MP had been behind the leak of Covid-19 patient details to media. “I wish to thank the people of Clutha-Southland who I have loved meeting,

National Party MP Hamish Walker has admitted to leaking Covid-19 patient details. Acting chief executive of Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust Michelle Boag has confirmed she gave the patient details to Walker. In a statement, Walker said: “I passed to members of the media, by email, information conta

The Government’s free and healthy school lunches programme moves south for the first time creating jobs for around 30 people in Otago and Southland. “Eighteen schools with 3000 students are joining the programme – 11 have already begun serving lunches, and seven are preparing to start during Term 3.

Meeting of the Committee of Council held in the Victoria Room, Civic Theatre on Wednesday 3 June 2020 at 3.00 pm. 2020/05/2020-06-03-Committee-of-Council-Agenda.pdf

Well the National Party definitely stole the limelight this week – with the ousting of Simon Bridges, a new party leader and here in the South a new candidate as well. Penny Simmonds looks set to give up her chief executive job at the Southern Institute of Technology after 28 years, as she moves int