Nick Smith

The Government is ready to support the cleanup of Southland's Waituna Lagoon but the regional council, farmers, environmentalists and iwi will have to work together to reverse declining water quality, Environment Minister Nick Smith says.

ACC Minister Nick Smith says an "improved performance" by the corporation means levies could be reduced in future but Labour and the Greens says that money was saved by slashing support for accident and abuse victims.

The Government has pledged to halve New Zealand greenhouse gases emissions from 1990 levels by 2050 but the promise has been labelled inadequate by environmentalists.

The ACC system is being clogged up with surgery claims that have no hope of succeeding because of private insurance company requirements, ACC Minister Nick Smith says, as he dismissed the idea of an independent review into claims.

The latest National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research report on the state of our lakes bears disappointing tidings.

The Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) wants to increase levies but the Government has all but ruled that out.

ACC has handled the issue of counselling for sexual abuse victims badly, ACC Minister Nick Smith says.

Feeling the financial pinch from the emissions trading scheme? Didn't think so.

Nelson MP Nick Smith says he is "delighted" a $15 million defamation lawsuit against him has been settled out of court.

Households can more than offset the cost of the Government's emissions trading scheme (ETS) and still get benefits from tax cuts, but Minister for Climate Change Nick Smith admits the Government now needs to get that message out.