Police Minister Michael Woodhouse is right to question the official police road safety messages over the Christmas-New Year period, writes Kim Gillespie.

It was an absolutely stunning day at Papamoa Beach on New Year's Day. The sun was gloriously warm, beating down from a deep blue sky on to the 1000 or so beachgoers, who were having a fabulous time in the water.

With summer in full swing, it is often difficult to turn down that evening beer or wine.

This year has been a brutal year in many ways, writes Juliet Rowan.

It is hard to believe it is 10 years since the Boxing Day tsunami. Ten years since waves up to 30m high crashed over Southeast Asia, killing more than 230,000 people.