One-third of children placed in state care have ended up serving a prison sentence, according to research tabled before the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care today.

An investigation into a patient's death in June showed the ED was under extreme pressure due to staffing shortages and high patient numbers.

There are reports a New Zealand soldier who was on leave has been killed in Ukraine, the Defence Force says.

The local Korean community is shocked there is a likely link between the deaths of two children and a migrant from their home country.

One of the warmest wettest winters on record has put the skids on Mt Ruapehu's ski season and cost 130 workers their jobs.

Environmental advocates are criticising the Hawke's Bay Regional Council's decision to hold a meeting on a controversial water issue behind closed doors.

A district council is installing dozens of isolation valves across a water network to help solve the mystery of massive water losses.

Nelson's two Māori Ward candidates have found their much lower election expenditure limit - when compared with other candidates - frustrating.

Major disruption is continuing at the top of Te Waipounamu, as the state highways connecting Blenheim and Nelson remain shut.

The Far North Deputy Major says major arterial roads have been left looking like an 'earthquake zone' after wild weather hit the region last week.

Nelson is attempting to maintain a sense of normality with an inter-regional basketball tournament set to go ahead this weekend.

Health Minister Andrew Little is expanding the e-Prescription services to include controlled drugs, and saying goodbye to fax machines.

The Ashburton District Council's approval rating has plunged to its lowest level and there is a "clear link" to the state of the roads.

Health worker shortages have become so bad in the Far North that Rāwene Hospital will soon have no doctor on site in the evenings or overnight - and one GP says shortages are threatening lives.

The convicted drug smuggler has lost one stage of an appeal against the government's attempt to deport him.

Four men are facing charges related to shots being fired on two occasions in the same street in Glen Innes in Auckland.

Otago Regional Council has confirmed it will review aspects of the Clyde Dam resource consent, in light of the dam's impact on Lake Dunstan

A woman has been found dead in Auckland after she was reported missing in the Māngere area yesterday morning.