APNZ

The Rena disaster clean-up is estimated to have cost about $130 million, Environment Minister Nick Smith told Parliament today.

New Hurricanes skipper Conrad Smith believes having the 'C' next to his name on the team sheet could be just the tonic to invigorate him ahead of this year's Super Rugby campaign.

Auckland have named their squad to play Otago in the preliminary final of the Ford Trophy at Colin Maiden Park, Auckland, tomorrow.

A man who was killed at a Hamilton block of flats yesterday is yet to be formally identified because he had a number of aliases, police say.

A woman who was asleep with her boyfriend at their Porirua home was indecently assaulted by an intruder who woke her after getting in through an unlocked door.

A Wellington dairy worker armed himself with a cricket stump when confronted by a barefoot robber wielding a knife.

A German tourist's impromptu attempt at freestyle rock-climbing came to grief yesterday when he plunged 4m on to jagged rocks at Perpendicular Point, near Punakaiki.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters was briefly denied the chance to address asset-sale protesters at Parliament today during an argument with the rally's organiser over whether he was allowed to speak.

Plans to "Monday-ise'' public holidays have inched closer to reality after legislation to make the change went on to Parliament's business programme today.

A 13-year prison sentence handed down to one of the men who stole 96 war medals from the Waiouru Army Museum will not be reduced, the Supreme Court has ruled.