There are no new cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand today, the Ministry of Health has confirmed. Three people are in hospital with Covid-19, one each in Middle, North Shore and Auckland City hospitals. The total number of active cases is 61, 32 of those...

Air New Zealand will ramp up its domestic schedule during the upcoming school holidays to almost 90 per cent of pre-COVID-19 levels. Air New Zealand General Manager Networks Scott Carr says when you consider that prior to COVID-19, at least 20 pe rcent...

The New Zealand motocross scene burst back into life with a "new normal" COVID-19 atmosphere during a rare double-header event at Mercer at the weekend. The popular annual North Island Motocross Championships and Pukekohe Sand Prix attracted...

With mental health needs rising sharply and services already stretched, the University of Waikato is responding to the challenge with the launch of the new Bachelor of Nursing in 2021, integrating a focus on mental health and addictions throughout the...

Bakers all around New Zealand are being encouraged to enter their sausage rolls in the Bakels Legendary Sausage Roll competition. NZ Bakels, the name behind 23 years of the Supreme Pie Awards, is searching for the best sausage roll on sale...

A 24-year-old man charged with murder in connection to the death of Hamilton man Sao Young is denying the charge. The accused appeared in Hamilton District Court on Monday. Through his counsel Charles Bean, he pleaded not guilty to the single...

To mark the start of Mental Health Awareness Week in New Zealand, the dairy sector is calling for rural mental health to be a priority. DairyNZ, Federated Farmers and Dairy Women’s Network are concerned by the levels of mental health issues in...

The public housing wait list surged to nearly 20,000 households by the end of July, as the COVID-19 economic slowdown continues to bite. Newly-released figures show 19,438 eligible applicants were waiting for public housing at the end of July, an increase...

A man has been charged with manslaughter after the car he was driving collided with a “fun-loving, hardworking” motorcyclist in the Bay of Plenty. Grant Wilson, 33, died following the crash on White Pine Bush Rd near Whakatane in the Bay...

What is the Maori word for visitors? This is one of dozens of questions you will find the answer to in Kiwi Quest, a new board game that aims to increase people’s knowledge about Aotearoa and te reo Maori. Kiwi Quest has been developed by six...

Cabinet has agreed to a change in Covid-19 alert levels for both Auckland, the centre of the current Covid-19 outbreak, and the rest of New Zealand this week. The alert levels were reviewed by Cabinet today, and no new cases of Covid-19 were reported...

  Tauranga City Council is encouraging residents to ditch their car keys and walk, cycle, bus or e-scooter to get around on World Car Free Day tomorrow. People in more than 2000 cities and 46 countries around the world will ditch their car...

A 34-year-old man is currently before the courts in relation to a fatal crash on White Pine Bush Road, near Whakatane, on June 6. He is remanded in custody and due in Tauranga District Court on September 30 on a manslaughter charge, two of driving...

Rotorua’s rescue helicopter will return if National is elected to form the next Government. Health spokesman Shane Reti made the promise during a visit to Rotorua’s Volcanic Air hanger with Rotorua MP Todd McClay and Rotorua Rescue Helicopter...

Road closures start tonight on State Highway 29A between the Te Maunga and Baypark roundabouts. These closures are required for preparatory works for the construction of a new temporary signalised intersection at Te Maunga, where State Highway 2 and...

Early childhood centres are reporting an increasing number of children arriving without enough food or warm clothing as their families struggle with the fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic. There are 4370 children in 119 early childhood centres waiting...

Temperatures this week are warmer than average by several degrees in many regions as the country passes the spring equinox on Wednesday, says WeatherWatch. The warmer weather is caused mild airflows from the sub-tropics, or simply mild nor'westers,...

Auckland will move to alert level 2 on Thursday, and the rest of the country will drop to alert level 1 from midnight tonight. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Director-General of Health provided an update on changes to the COVID-19 alert levels this...

Winston Peters’ campaign bus rolled into town and with that came election promises. A crowd of around 60 people gathered at Red Square to hear the deputy Prime Minister speak - the small number because of COVID restrictions, he says. “I...

“If you’re worried about your mental health, or the mental health of someone you know, now is the time to see your GP.” That’s the message from The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners, who are supporting this...

A Bay of Plenty woman is supporting a new study aiming to improve the screening process for women who are at higher risk of breast cancer. Ōpōtiki woman Nikki Slade Robinson was diagnosed with breast cancer early last year after discovering a lump,...

There are concerns the legalisation of cannabis could lead to an increase in road deaths, with the impact of drugged driving already becoming more apparent. In 2019, alcohol or drugs were a factor in 131 fatal crashes on the road, and those numbers...

Lockdown taught us to appreciate many things; time spent with family, healthcare workers, and the little things in life that bring us joy. It was also a reminder of just how important the great outdoors is for our wellbeing, and how lucky we are in...

Countdown's Food for Good Appeal for KidsCan is aiming to raise $500,000 to help feed thousands of kids supported through KidsCan’s food programmes. Since April, KidsCan has been feeding 40,000 Kiwi kids a day, which is 10,000 more than the...

Some properties have no water after a water main break on Maunganui road. A council spokesperson says the break is on Maunganui Road between Tweed Street and Dee Street. “We expect this to be fixed by early afternoon.” Traffic is unaffected...

Plans to set up worm farms and green waste composting has seen a new Mount Maunganui retirement village receive a $10,873 grant from the Tauranga City Council’s Resource Wise Community Fund. Pacific Lakes Village is one of the newest Generus...

Police have released a strategy to assist owners and operators to increase the safety, protection and resilience of crowded places across New Zealand. Crowded places are locations that large numbers of people access easily and predictably. They include...

Those supporting Bay of Plenty people with disabilities is welcoming the government’s new ‘Working Matters: Disability Employment Action Plan’. Developed by the Ministry of Social Development, the document is part of the government’s...

Aquinas College has won first place over 11 other Bay of Plenty and Waikato schools at a chemistry competition held at the University of Waikato. The team of four Year 13 students won prize money and a trophy for their effort. It involved them spending...