This summer's injury figures might be eye-opening as more Kiwis head to the hills and tracks, the Mountain Safety Council chief executive says.

An immigration adviser has been ordered to pay almost $10,000 after bad advice led to a family's residence application being rejected.

Wellington ferry services have been cancelled and port operations ceased with severe gales forecasted.

Despite Watercare's financial difficulties, the supercity has no plans to relinquish assets as part of the government's three waters reforms, Mayor Phil Goff says.

Nigel Borell, who resigned unexpectedly after putting together Auckland Art Gallery's largest exhibition of indigenous work, is calling on arts institutions to be better at sharing power.

The running of a test train last week means the rail line between Whangārei and Swanson in West Auckland is back in action after an upgrade funded by the Provincial Growth Fund.

Police are searching for at least two people involved in an aggravated robbery in Manurewa in South Auckland last night.

DOC dropped 1080 over 14,000 hectares of land in September.

No arrests have been made in relation to an alleged firearms incident that caused some Gore businesses to go into lockdown this afternoon.

Police are appealing for the public's help in investigating three drive-by shootings in one day in Wellington last week.

Fire and Emergency has completed its investigation into last month's fire at Napier Port and found it was caused while removing cargo from a ship.

People have returned to their homes after a blaze near Cass Bay in Christchurch, which has now been brought under control.

An officer was justified in kicking a man in the head lying face down with his hands behind his head while being arrested, the police watchdog says.

It's been a summer of change for drivers, with some state highways across Aotearoa having had their speed limit recently reduced.

Western areas of the South Island are likely to bear the brunt of this week's wet and windy weather, but temperatures will drop well below the summer average in many parts of the country.

A car drove the wrong way down a Wellington motorway for nearly 8km before fatally smashing into another vehicle on Tuesday morning.

Pre-departure testing for passengers travelling to NZ from nearly all countries will come into force at 11.59pm on Monday.

Police searching for missing Wellington kayaker Koyren Campbell have been inundated with offers of help, and are asking the public to keep a lookout for him.