Revenue Minister Peter Dunne this evening welcomed the passage of the Student Loan Scheme (Exemptions and Miscellaneous Provisions) Amendment Bill in Parliament today.

"Interest-free student loans will be available to borrowers in Niue, the Cook Islands, Tokelau and the Ross Dependency under law changes passed by Parliament today."

My mother said she heard this on the radio.

"Two weeks after Cyclone Pat, the people of Aitutaki in the Cook Islands are discovering the cost of rebuilding will be much higher than initial estimates"

she wants to know what you think.

MPs trimmed back their taxpayer funded expenses in the last three months of last year due to the start of the long summer break and more discipline.