Alcohol-poisoning victim James Webster's father says his son's death would have been avoided if he'd known the risk he was taking.

After his son admitted encouraging James Webster to drink, a tearful John Banks accepted responsibility for the boy's actions 'because that's what a father should do'.

Mayor John Banks has broken down in tears as he apologised for the actions of his son Alex, who encouraged alcohol-poisoning victim James Webster to drink.

Helena McAlpine is no different from thousands of Kiwi women in most ways ... but this time last year, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

A teen who drank himself to death at a party earlier this year regularly passed out after drinking, an inquest into his death was told.

A mother has told a court she knew teenager James Webster was dead as soon as she walked into the room where he had been put to bed.

Progress is being made in the war against drug addiction and its links with crime.

TVNZ has received a record number of complaints about Paul Henry's remarks on Governor-General Sir Anand Satyanand, and many staff within TVNZ were also angered by the comments.

A man was tasered 13 times in a Perth police station as nine officers stood by, says a corruption watchdog.

John Key says he supports TVNZ's two-week suspension of Breakfast host Paul Henry, but has denied putting any pressure on the state broadcaster to take action.

Many Herald readers have welcomed TVNZ's suspension of Breakfast host Paul Henry, but he still has some die-hard supporters.

Scientists believe they have found a simple and efficient way of selecting the best human IVF embryos that are likely to result in viable pregnancies.

Keisha Castle-Hughes is producing a film about a subject painfully close to her heart - NZ's 'epidemic' of P abuse.

Two Mongrel Mob leaders are being paid by the taxpayers to try to turn the country's gangs away from drugs and crime.

Second-generation Mongrel Mobster Layton Te Nahu is off the drug P and back with his family, thanks to a remarkable New Zealand story that involves the Prime Minister, the Salvation Army and a retired surgeon.

There was less crime and more of it was solved in the year ended June 30, police say.

It's female nature to overcome difficulties as a community, be it making the tea or getting the vote.