An undercover police officer bought marijuana seedlings from a Switched on Gardner employee inside the company's Tauranga shop, a court has been told.

A big-cat handler fatally mauled to death by a tiger did not see a need to lock the animal away while cleaning its enclosure, a coronial inquest has heard.

A tiger that killed a big cat handler at the Zion Wildlife Park had attacked another man a month or so before it fatally mauled Dalu MnCube, an inquest has heard.

Switched On Gardener was described as a 'one stop shop' for cannabis growing equipment today, as the trial of five people associated with the gardening chain begins.

A Northland science teacher dismissed after he supported a gay rights protest at the Catholic school is considering legal action.

The brother of Dalu Mncube, who was fatally mauled by a tiger, hopes a coroner's inquest recommends better prevention and protection measures for zookeepers.

Wayne Bracken was found guilty of kidnapping and murdering Jack Davis in 2011. But co-accused Neville Dangen, 24 was found not guilty of the same charges.

A young man is lucky to be alive after a vicious knife attack in central Whangarei left him with his throat slashed from one side to the other.

Current and former students have thrown their support in behind a Northland Catholic school teacher who was fired after he supported a gay rights protest.

A Northland teacher who was suspended last month after he supported a pro-gay protest at the Catholic College he taught at has lost his job.

The steady life in sales and prices started in the central Auckland suburbs over a year ago and has now spread across the new supercity. But as Bruce Morris reports, it's still tough going out in the provinces.

The provincial towns and cities are well below their 2007 peaks, but there are signs of life south of the Bombays, reports Bruce Morris.

The secret behind Mahe Drysdale's paddle power is being given away for free in Whangarei today.