Alarm bells are ringing over the coalition's school lunch programme, with the Auditor-General warning the govt has not been able to clearly show the scheme is delivering its aims.

An ACT candidate has withdrawn from a new Wellington electorate race at November’s election, after failing to declare her previous membership of a Chinese political group linked to the country’s ruling communist party.

The prime minister says there is a long way to go before fuel relief payments will stop, as fuel prices finally drop below the $3 mark for the first time since March.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins has promised to scrap the emergency housing target, and "abolish the criminalisation of homelessness" if Labour wins the election.

Oranga Tamariki took months to respond to an Education Review Office letter raising "serious and immediate concerns" about children at Gloriavale after it was sent to a former staff member whose inbox was no longer monitored.

The leader of a fringe religious group has been found guilty of the kidnapping and manslaughter of one of his followers.

A woman whose mother was left with a broken arm and dislocated shoulder after an incident in her retirement village says not enough is being done to make sure residents are safe.

A climate change activist has filed a court case against the government's plans to prevent companies being sued over their greenhouse gas emissions.

More than 5000 teens have failed the critical NCEA numeracy test four times or more.