APNZ

Labour leader Phil Goff wasn't about to let a blackout stop him campaigning on a Wellington walkabout today, quipping "wouldn't have happened under a Labour government'' when a local RSA was plunged into darkness.

It would be "awkward" for Richie McCaw to be knighted while he was still playing, former All Blacks captain Sir Brian Lochore says.

The Defence Force is donating a large swathe of Wellington's Miramar Peninsula to the public as a reserve of national significance.

A survey showing nearly half of all New Zealanders are just scraping by indicates all is not well for the country's poorest families, an economist says.

An Auckland man has been found guilty of raping and murdering his former girlfriend.

Prime Minister John Key has outlined an overhaul of the welfare system that will require more people to look for work and take jobs when offered.

The stress Graham Henry's family has gone through over a coaching career spanning 140 tests was one of the biggest factors in him stepping down from the All Blacks.

Graham Henry says Steve Hansen's relationship with the All Blacks players and his will to win make him an ideal candidate to replace him as head coach.

A bus hit by a train on a level crossing north of Wellington became stuck when its wheels couldn't get any traction, police say.

Parents nationwide might be searching for the kid who just wants their two front teeth for Christmas, in light of news that mini tablets are tipped to be top of the gift wishlist.