Stories by Guyon Espiner

Casey Costello denied it existed. Now she says she does not know who wrote - or even how she got - a tobacco policy document sent to officials. Audio

Philip Morris planned to apply "political pressure" to get tax cuts for heated tobacco products, a document shows. Audio

The Act Party minister is plotting a huge expansion of the state-run drug buying agency, despite being a proponent of small government. Audio

By midnight, three-quarters of drinkers at Wellington's Courtenay Place were drunk on booze they'd bought somewhere else. Many cited cost as the reason. Audio

A decision to slash excise tax for heated tobacco products - sold almost exclusively by one company in New Zealand - has come with a potentially hefty price tag. Audio

Casey Costello's order to halve the tax is "something that tobacco companies would have been keen to see," an expert says. Audio

NZ First's Casey Costello has been severely reprimanded for trying to keep information about tobacco and vaping policy secret.

Artificial Intelligence has a big future with tasks from helping kids learn to assessing medical results, says Judith Collins says.

The levy has been raised but by less than half the amount that would even cover inflation.

Drinking is causing harm 20 times worse than meth, police believe. Audio

Community leader Dave Letele considered Christopher Luxon a friend - until the PM reacted badly to an open letter he signed decrying racism.

Officials and experts have given repeated warnings the government's ban could backfire.

Minister was told the government may face requests to bailout media companies if it failed to progress a law forcing digital platforms to pay local media for using their content.

The minister in charge of tobacco regulation was warned repealing smokefree legislation would be seen as a breach of the Treaty of Waitangi.

Casey Costello rejected all compromise options suggested to her, documents obtained by RNZ show.

A Crown Solicitor's management style was "challenging, critical, and unpredictable" and left some staff "genuinely distressed," a high-level review says.

'About four' lobbyists have gained access to the Beehive and had their identities made secret by the new Speaker.

RNZ has obtained more evidence contradicting NZ First minister Casey Costello's insistence she didn't specifically ask for advice on a tobacco excise freeze.

Instead of increasing each year with inflation, the tax on cigarettes would be frozen for three years under a plan suggested by Associate Health Minister Casey Costello.

Lobbyists, PR experts and lawyers are being paid to counter criticism of animal welfare standards in live exports.

Senate, which had a large contract with the Commerce Commission, was caught up in a cyber attack raising fears about the possible release of highly sensitive material.

More than seven years after he was shot by police, the whānau of Shargin Stephens will finally have their time in court.

Justice Ministry warns of 'misuse of privileged information' by ministers entering the lobbying industry.

The firm was embedded in Commerce Commission offices working on supermarket and energy industry inquiries, which had major implications for its corporate clients.

An internal police review of bail finds its system "far under-estimating" the proportion of high risk offenders.