Covid-19 restrictions for all of New Zealand will ease from midnight tonight but a leading epidemiologist says the country is divided in its risk.

Significant slips are starting to fall across Tairāwhiti as heavy rain continues to plummet down, and experts warn it would get worse.

New Christchurch mums and midwives have marched to St George's Hospital to hand deliver a petition backed by more than 30,000 people to save the maternity unit from closure.

Southern Māori heritage and culture will inspire the revamp of the main street of Ōtepoti Dunedin.

There were emotional scenes at the Auckland Airport this morning as the border reopened and the first fights from across the Tasman landed.

The majority of those carrying out ram raids around the country were 17 or younger, latest police figures show.

A study has revealed deteriorating asbestos pipes are shedding fibres into Christchurch's drinking water. Water NZ says they aren't as resilient as initially thought.

High demand and a shortage of vessels are putting pressure on Cook Strait ferry services this Easter weekend and into next month.

Kyung Yup Kim is accused of killing a woman in Shanghai in 2009 but denies any involvement. The Chinese government called for his extradition in 2011 and he now can be.

A man has died following a workplace incident at Awapuni in Gisborne.

There are 9495 new community cases of Covid-19 along with a further 15 deaths to report today.

An overhaul of the Holidays Act has thrown up a new, curly problem that could cost employers.

The entire country will drop from red to the orange traffic light setting from 11.59pm tonight, with the government saying the "overall picture is a very positive one".

Flooding in the Gisborne region has closed State Highway 35 in two places between Hicks Bay and Te Araroa, and between Tokomaru Bay and Te Puia Springs.

Boult has served two terms as mayor since winning election in 2016 and says the decision came after lengthy consideration and discussions with his family,

Two people have been charged with the murder of a Gisborne woman nearly three weeks ago.

The organiser of a protest outside the former Marsden Point oil refinery insists anti-vax campaigners have left.

Police are encouraging car owners to take precautions after a spate of thefts across the wider Bay of Plenty and Waikato areas.