A captain of a fishing vessel in Nelson was making more than $100,000 a year and living in a state house, Housing Minister Nick Smith said last night.

An 11-year-old girl jumped from a speeding car fearing that the driver who had just raped her was going to kill her, a court was told today.

A fire in Te Puke caused significant damage to a 120 square metre house in the early hours of this morning.

Celia Wade-Brown has shaken off her nearest challenger John Morrison to win a second term as mayor of Wellington.

About 200 jobs are on the chopping block at Christchurch-based fishing company Independent Fisheries Ltd.

Strong winds have caused significant but localised damage on Auckland's North Shore this evening.

A West Coast woman who told a court she could only afford to pay $2 a week to her former landlord was caught out trying to buy $62 of cigarettes by a judge at the supermarket.

A former surf lifeguard who stripped down to his boxers to rescue a drowning man is among a handful of Wellingtonians whose bravery was recognised tonight.

About 5000 Canterbury earthquake claims remain incomplete, unresolved or not scheduled for completion, according to figures from the Insurance Council of New Zealand.

A truck laden with newspapers ignited in a dramatic fire in Canterbury early this morning.

The Government has confirmed it will appeal a landmark High Court decision which ordered it to reconsider an offer for vacant, uninsured red-zoned land.

The Government has lost a landmark legal battle over its 50 per cent offer for vacant red-zoned Christchurch land and uninsured properties.

Tom Fail lists the key themes to consider when managing infrastructure project risks.

Leonard Cohen has announced a full New Zealand tour in December, taking in the country's three major cities.

An 18-month old has died after being run over by a vehicle in an Auckland driveway.

A weaker New Zealand dollar and signs of life in the US housing market have combined to drive the share price of timber products group Tenon higher.

A senior investigator says illegal ivory trading is increasing in New Zealand, as a retiree becomes the first person convicted of ivory trading under NZ law.

Justine Tyerman’s obsession with home swapping goes up another notch after a weekend at one of Australia’s most exclusive beaches.