Simon Collins takes a look at the 'state of our nation' report, a stock-take of New Zealand's social trends.

Crime is at a 34-year low, incomes and employment are rising and teenage pregnancy has plunged, a new report on the state of our nation shows.

Christmas is meant to be a time of joy but many children around NZ go without. This year one dad has vowed to make a difference, pledging 100 gifts for kids.

Charities are bracing themselves for an influx of more than 40,000 struggling Kiwi families who can't afford to serve Christmas dinner or put presents under the tree this year.

Dionne Christian checks out activities on offer during Auckland's Heritage Festival.

The Salvation Army has bought the Destiny Church complex in the Auckland suburb of Mt Wellington and has its 12-storey building in Queen St up for sale.

Rubbish being dumped outside Salvation Army stores is costing the organisation hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Two tenants who moved into their Auckland state house two years after the start of World War II are still living there - more than 70 years later.

New Zealand's longest-serving prisoner has been denied parole and will not be considered for early release again until 2015.