The vehicle had just left Hamilton's police station under lights and siren, police say. A witness reports seeing a boy "flung over the bonnet".

No one struck it lucky in Wednesday night's draw, so the prize pool has jumped to $19.7 million for Saturday night's draw.

Lots of uncertainty and a vaccine eligibility announcement: here is a recap of the first Covid-19 press conference in nearly two months.

Police are hoping one of the callers is the person who provided an anonymous tip in 2010 containing “some very brief but quite specific information”.

In the months before Paul Pounamu Tainui murdered again, he successfully kept his "out of control" life secret by lying to probation staff.

The family of shark victim Kaelah Marlow helped buy two mobile towers to keep swimmers safe this summer and eye-in-the-sky drones are also in the mix.

The age of eligibility was 50, but is being dropped to 40 as Māori and Pacific people have an increased risk of death from Covid-19.

The proposal was introduced in an attempt to speed up builds, lower costs and better protect the environment.

The storm was so loud the night she was last seen that residents could hear nothing but crashing surf. That was 80 days ago.

One of the two people charged after the incident, an 18-year-old man, is due to appear in court on Thursday morning.

The young Otago driver died after his ute reportedly crossed the centre line, into the path of an oncoming truck.

Police are reassuring locals there is no further risk after Layk Scowen, 18, died at a Hokitika property.

A man faced manslaughter and grievous bodily harm charges while a woman was charged with perverting the course of justice over the death of the little girl in January.

"I wanted to show the world that good things can come out of small towns," the impact prop told hundreds in Kaitāia.

Richard Dean Palmer, 65, took two student lawyers in their final week as summer clerks to a boozy lunch, detouring into a sex shop on the way back.

Auckland police ducked out of the office on Tuesday to make an unusual rescue.

Principals say "pointing the finger" is not the solution but the National Party leader says he is not backing down.

Patrick Gamble, originally from Ireland, lived a reclusive life on a property surrounded by bush. "It was like a fairy tale", his friend says.

It was much more than a (Han) Solo effort to save Wookie the daschund after 27 hours stuck in a cave

Ngatokorua Rimaati Poaru "gave his life to save another" after trying to help a young boy at Spencer Park Beach, north of Christchurch.