The mischief in me wants Winston Peters to win Northland. The upset would be huge and National would lose a seat to New Zealand First, writes Rodney Hide.

Guy Body's take on the Northland byelection.

National is scrambling all jets to bolster Northland byelection candidate Mark Osborne as polling shows Winston Peters has a chance of taking the traditionally safe Nats seat.

If elections were won on fast starts and noise, NZ First leader Winston Peters would have Northland sewn up.

Residents in three homes near a forest fire in Northland are on standby to evacuate. The fire is being treated as suspicious.

The Westport man who died while kayaking off Tauranga Bay last month has today been named by police.

Andrew Little is wise to have ignored the pressure that was coming even from Labour quarters.

The Northland byelection had the makings of a real nailbiter if Labour had stood aside and made it a two-horse race.

The Tasman District Council has given its consent for the proposed Waimea Community Dam, says Irrigation NZ.

A massive pipi bed in Whangarei harbour is dying and there are fears the change could destabilise the harbour - and Marsden Point itself, Radio NZ reports.

Peter Dunne says he would look at revisiting his post-election concessions from the National Party if New Zealand First leader Winston Peters wins the Northland byelection.

New Zealand First leader announces he'll stand in Northland byelection, saying electorate needs "a real voice" who could "hit the ground running".

A charter school under threat of closure has indicated the school leaders may be sacked after public warnings from the education ministry.

A troubled charter school is under pressure to sack its leadership team or face closure.

A Northland woman had a lucky escape when a furniture truck smashed through the wall of a house, stopping metres short of where she had been relaxing on a couch.

Education Minister Hekia Parata has issued a formal warning to the troubled charter school in Whangaruru which now has a month to show it can rectify its problems or it could face closure.

Catherine Smith discovers a vibrant dining scene in the gastronomic capital of Northland.

The body of a dead man clutching a lifejacket washed ashore early this morning in the Whangarei Harbour.

A Northland 10-year-old has smashed national and club records after hauling in a striped marlin five times his body weight.

The police have started an inquiry into the "wider issues" exposed by the downward spiral of a corrupt cop who stole drugs for the woman he was sleeping with.

Prime Minister John Key and Government ministers have been welcomed on to Te Tii Marae without incident.

Labour leader Andrew Little has said John Key is lying about when he first knew of allegations concerning former MP Mike Sabin.

Labour Leader Andrew Little says it is just not credible that the Prime Minister did not know about allegations concerning National MP Mike Sabin until late last year.