Slips and surface flooding are causing havoc for motorists in the lower North Island as heavy rain and gale force winds sweep the region.

A helicopter pilot was sending and receiving text messages in the minutes prior to being killed in a crash, a report says.

Pacific Blue says the pilots of a plane that may have breached flight rules when taking off from Queenstown airport have been stood down.

Fifteen lucky poker players are headed from Auckland to Queenstown this week for a chance to strike it rich.

Education Minister Anne Tolley has told principals they should stop talking to the media and focus on implementing the controversial national standards.

Several roads are again affected by ice after another heavy frost.

New Zealand's adventure playground is a great school-holiday destination for the family writes Helen van Berkel.

Queenstown schools are closed with drivers urged to take extreme care on central South Island roads after heavy snow fell in the area, with more expected.

The country’s premier poker tour makes its mid-winter stopover in Queenstown next month.

Police use of social networks to hunt criminals is proving effective, with 'one or two' crooks caught each month.