Emergency operations centres have been activated on the West Coast as heavy rain brings highway closures, slips and surface flooding.

The sister of a woman who went missing in Auckland over a month ago has headed from Dunedin to the northern city, appealing to locals for help in the search.

A teacher accused of sexually abusing a boy claims it was he who had made sexual advances on her and she had shut it down.

The review prompted by the scandal surrounding ex-Beehive press secretary Michael Forbes has found that the police should have alerted the government earlier under the "no surprises" convention.

A police investigation has been launched after a body was found near Scarborough on Thursday. However, police say it is not believed to be missing Christchurch teenager Marley.

Whenever ducklings need rescuing, people ask the Stevensons to come and help.

A former highly skilled healthcare worker at a Starship Hospital unit caring for abused children says it has become a lesser service, due to "crippling" bullying.

Private hospitals are consistently picking up easier cases from the public system, data shows.