Te Pāti Māori president John Tamihere has defended controversial comments made by MP Tākuta Ferris, saying he agrees with the "substance" of his statements.

Food prices are rising much faster than wages, putting more pressure on household budgets and creating a squeeze that's feeling worse for some than the global financial crisis, one economist says.

The government is promising changes to the Commerce Act it says will prevent "creeping acquisitions and predatory pricing".

A Christchurch retirement village resident has pushed back against claims she and other residents broke the alcohol rules, sparking a booze ban at the village.

There are calls for the government to settle an unpaid debt to blood cancer sufferers by fulfilling a promise by the National government to close the medicine gap.

A psychiatrist has told a High Court jury the man accused of lighting the fatal Loafers Lodge fire was insane at the time and had no intention of hurting anyone.