A couple accused of torturing their nine-year-old daughter appeared briefly in court this morning.

The mother of a girl, 5, found dead in her bed after an alleged assault was trying to escape violence in her life.

New claims emerged last night that the nine-year-old girl allegedly tortured by her parents was also sexually abused while in Child Youth and Family care.

Beneficiaries owe the Ministry of Social Development nearly $1 billion and about half of it is because of overpayments, official figures show.

The quest may no longer be for the elixir of immortality but with an ageing population there is increased awareness of what it takes to live long and well, writes Dionne Christian.

Stay-at-home mums are an endangered species these days. I was one once and even then it was hard work explaining why.

NZTA cleared its registry of deceased licence holders, only to have 23 inform it they were still alive.

The ACC will ensure money is the least of the worries for the families of the Pike River 29, says ACC Minister Nick Smith.

TV3 is taking the BSA to court over a complaint from Social Development Minister Paula Bennett, about a report claiming she offered a beneficiary money to drop a privacy case.

Following reports of Australian charities paying for homeless Kiwis to fly home, a down-on-her-luck NZer in Melbourne tells her story.

Homeless Kiwis living on the streets of Melbourne are being flown back to New Zealand courtesy of Australian charities, according to reports.

CYF would "almost certainly" have got involved with the Kahui family had it known of the hostile environment the twins were living in.