We are officially 99 days out from the election, and the countdown is on.

Policy announcements are happening left, right and centre as people up and down the motu decide who they are going to vote for.

Last weekend the Greens announced a housing policy that would include a 3% cap on rent increases per year.

This weekend ACT is set to announce a new law and order policy.

Health was a key focus too this week with a range of announcements from the Government that saw pay equity for midwives and Te Whatu Ora nurses

We also saw a promise from National of a new medical school at Waikato University.

Concerns about Oranga Tamariki have been raised again, following a standoff from a group of young people on the roof of a facility in Auckland and the release of a video from the same facility showing the residents fighting each other.

The chief science advisor released a report collating evidence of the very complex issue of gangs and how to tackle them.

The Prime Minister is leaving shortly for Europe to finalise the Free Trade Deal with the EU, and attend a NATO meeting, giving a big foreign policy focused speech this afternoon at Parliament before jumping on a (commercial) flight.

Inside Parliament is the 1News politics podcast — you can find it on all good podcasting apps.