Two men who escaped from the Manukau District Court about 10am yesterday are dangerous and not to be approached by members of the public, police say.

The father of a schoolgirl sent to South Africa after she was bullied at Howick College says the school is in denial if it thinks hers is an isolated case.

Puketutu Island in Auckland's Manukau Harbour is to be turned into a regional park.

Thieves posing as bank workers have swindled an 81-year-old Franklin man out of his savings, another in a series of elderly people who have been targeted by scammers in south Auckland.

A man accused of murdering a woman by deliberately swerving into her car said he "might as well" kill himself, a court had been told.

A man has admitted killing his two friends when he sped away from police and crashed into two power poles.

Miniature trains have enjoyed a rise in popularity over the past few years thanks to a certain engine called Thomas.

Auckland's farmers' markets are booming, but don't forget the city's traditional markets.

The Govt has opened its first 'simple house', its answer to streamlining the design and build process for first-time buyers.

Police want help after two offenders stole a cash box being dropped off by security guards.

About 60 NZ Commonwealth Games athletes arrived home to a rapturous welcome today, including Valerie Adams and the Silver Ferns.

An uncle of Chris and Cru Kahui today denied threatening that "somebody would get a bullet" if they talked to police about the night the baby twins suffered their fatal injuries.

The deaths of four people in house fires across the country in the past five days could have been prevented, the Fire Service says.

A man is dead following a house fire in the south Auckland suburb of Papatoetoe today, and a firefighter was treated in hospital for burns to his hands.

Daljit Singh, the Labour Party candidate charged with forging voting documents, has failed to win a place in the Super City.

The first Auckland Council has been decided, and it has a centre-left look about it, which will make life easier for Super Mayor Len Brown.