Faulty sewers may have played a role in the full-scale evacuation of a Wellington sports centre on Saturday afternoon.

Eighty percent support adding Kaiti Memorial Park and areas around Kaiti School to a ban zone.

Kiwibank economists say recovery is coming, but it's taking a lot longer than expected.

A severe thunderstorm doused eastern Auckland this afternoon, but it weakened and moved into the Firth of Thames.

A Lyttelton man who lives on the street where a large fire broke out said he was shocked by its scale.

The World Economic Forum report sees us drop from fourth to fifth, but that may just be the beginning of the slide.

The completed project cost about $2 million.

Both people on board suffered minor to no injuries, emergency services said.

It was supposed to open on Friday, but morning rainfall caused the snowpack to become unstable.

A scheduled test never happened, when the Auckland-based contractor was distracted by a car accident.

The not-for-profit wildlife centre put out a plea for financial help last week.

It's part of a worldwide closure of the country's diplomatic missions.

"We lose them, they're gone forever": Lepidopterists fear our native species are on the wane.

Students from across the motu compete at a regional level, eyeing for a spot to represent at nationals.

The coroner says Lachlan Jones most likely ran away from his home in Gore to the sewage pond where he was found dead six years ago.

Residents in Lyttelton near Christchurch had to be evacuated after a large fire broke out in the township.

"You took my mummy away from me" - The Christchurch real estate agent's family told court of the unbearable absence of Bao from their lives.