Kim Baker Wilson

More than half a tonne of fireworks were launched from high up Auckland's Sky Tower, while Wellington's entertainment strip, Courtenay Place, turned into a carnival zone for the night.

New Year's celebrations were well underway - despite the dreary weather in many regions.

It comes after two straight nights of violence in Auckland, involving group brawls.

Auckland rider Erin Swainston knew she had to let go of the reins or be crushed by her horse, Scooter, when he lost his footing.

"That's six hours he could have been by himself if these members of the public hadn't stepped up and help us out," says the local head of police.

Large parts of the mainland have been under brief severe thunderstorm warnings through the afternoon.

Sophie Bradwell-Pollak says there have been multiple failures amounting to a human rights issue, and so far there has been no substantial response from MBIE.

Crews were already working long hours.

Fire crews worked on the building from aerial trucks because the fire fuelled by polystyrene made it too dangerous to enter.

Firefighters were called the school in Auckland's Parnell along with an ambulance.

The former foreign minister says the US "is meant to be a democracy".

Kane Watson was killed when sand he was digging in collapsed and swallowed him on a beach.

An army corporal who swindled thousands of dollars from her comrades has lost her military career and will be held in detention.

Jackie Te Weehi pocketed $3422.57 of her fellow soldiers' and Defence Force money.

Gunak Lee, 23, was jailed for 14 months after an undercover DOC sting exposed his role in a planned international gecko-smuggling operation.

It has been five months since police investigating the American student's death announced they had found a machete close to where he was attacked.

Young people are sleeping on the streets and in cars as a service says the problem is getting worse. Audio

The Ministry of Education initially told RNZ that no count was being kept, until the minister intervened. Audio

Company director Ashik Ali's truck rolled backwards when its brakes failed hitting roadworker Johnathon Walters.

An outside push to convert the Auckland high school into a charter school, against its wishes, has been abandoned.

One parent says she feels as though there is no guidance on what she should do with play sand that potentially contains asbestos in her home. Audio

The Education Review Office is firing back at Wesley College, saying it strongly refutes claims about it made by its principal.

The Education Review Office claims there has been a "long history of abuse", but the principal says students felt pressured to give negative answers.

After a massive fire in 2019 significantly delayed its build, the Auckland convention centre is due to open in February.

The Ministry of Education has now suspended its licence from the end of this week.