Extreme weather brings hope of end to decade-long drought.

Forecast for 2100: more rain in winter and spring for the West Coast and Southland, drier for those in the east and north. Higher sea levels.

Contact Energy has unveiled full year profits of NZ$117.5 million, exactly half last year's NZ$237.1 million after a shocker year of coinciding negative factors.

Contact Energy has reported a 50.4 per cent fall in full year net profit to $117.5 million, hurt by transmission constraints and the need to buy electricity at high wholesale prices in last winter's drought.

A leaked Govt report reveals Victoria faces a fire season of "unprecedented danger" - even worse than the deadly fires in February.