Concern about support for disabled people during the Omicron outbreak has prompted the Disability Rights Commissioner to launch an urgent inquiry that will examine the continuity of essential in-home services.

Sharply increasing costs of living are forcing vulnerable members of society to go without food as their budgets are squeezed.

University of Canterbury's Ilam Fields has become home to uncontrolled parties taking place instead of traditional Orientation Week events, which were canned due to Covid-19 restrictions..

The parents of a young boy with rheumatic fever are urging adults, particularly in Pacific communities, to take sore throats and rashes in children seriously.

Rotorua Lakes Council flew a drone over an urban reserve to find rough sleepers, and found two.

The Ministry of Health is reporting 15,540 new community cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand today.

It's too early to say we've peaked, and declining tallies are no reason to celebrate as Covid-19 is still rife in our communities, University of Auckland professor Rod Jackson says.

Police will not give details about finances and their investigation into the protest which occupied Parliament's grounds and surrounding streets.

A DHB has been criticised by the Health and Disability Commissioner after a man died from being given an antibiotic for a sore toe.

The Southern District Health Board is encouraging people to ensure they are up to date with their measles, mumps and rubella vaccinations to reduce the risk of a measles outbreak.

Financial incentives and penalties may be used to get unkempt lots tidied up in the city centre.

Police have launched an investigation into a trauma cleaning company that for years posted graphic pictures of callout scenes.

The Power of the Dog has won best film at the Bafta awards, with Jane Campion also taking the best director accolade.

A medical expert says more needs to be done about chronic kidney disease in New Zealand.

Police are appealing for information following the death of a pedestrian on State Highway 1 in Piarere, Tirau on Saturday.

A controversial North Taranaki composting and worm farming business has flunked its latest environmental monitoring report.

More than 500 of the region's doctors, nurses and allied health staff are off sick with the virus, isolating or caring for whānau.

A shake-up to the country's waste system is hoped to cut down the near 13 million tonnes of waste New Zealand sends to landfill every year.