The Front Page

The family of the man charged over the killing of British tourist Grace Millane has made an impassioned plea for people to reserve judgement. A relative of the accused, who can't be identified for legal reasons, has posted a lengthy statement online. They say they're sorry for the Millane family's loss and that she didn't deserve what happened to her. They add that the whole of New Zealand, and es...

Police investigating the murder of Grace Millane are now looking for a shovel, believed to be related to her murder. They are looking for a red Atlas Trade hardwood long-handle, round-mouth shovel. It could be anywhere between Scenic Drive, where her body was discovered, and central Auckland. Detective Inspector Scott Beard says someone may have come across it and taken it home - and they'd like t...

A judge has addressed the grieving family of slain British backpacker Grace Millane, saying "your grief must be desperate". A body was discovered in the Waitakere Ranges yesterday, and is believed to be Grace Millane. A 26-year-old man is charged with her murder. He appeared in Auckland District Court this morning, wearing a blue boiler suit. The Millane family was in court for this appearance. Ju...

The distraught father of missing British backpacker, Grace Millane, has spoken to media in Auckland. His 22-year-old daughter was last seen at Auckland's SkyCity Casino, on Saturday night. She hasn't spoken with her family in over a week - and didn't respond to birthday messages on Sunday. David Millane grappled with his emotions as he explained how concerned the family is for her welfare. He says...

Climate change has been identified as one of the most significant security threats of our time. A Defence report released today says climate change can spark low-level and violent conflict, and the Defence Force needs to be able to respond to multiple events at the same time. Security risks include vulnerable populations losing their livelihoods, increased food and water scarcity, malnutrition, cl...

A new report's revealed the difficulties some young people are having in cutting back on watching porn. The Office of Film and Literature Classification has released its findings after surveying more than 2000 teens. The NZ Youth and Porn report shows over two thirds of 14 to 17 year olds have been exposed to porn, with some struggling with it. Some teens reported feeling upset, sad, or unhappy wh...

The long-awaited results of the Government inquiry into mental health and addiction have been released, and they show a rising tide of mental distress and addiction that can't be fixed by the government or health system alone. Among its recommendations are urgently implementing a national suicide prevention strategy, reforming the Mental Health Act and establishing a new Mental Health and Wellbein...

A US report into China's influence in New Zealand has highlighted concerns, including the possibility political sensitivities are stopping our intelligence agencies from investigating. The Hoover Institution, a US think-tank, released its "Chinese Influence & American Interest" report today with New Zealand presented as a case study. New Zealand is said to be particularly vulnerable because of our...

The man who pushed a High Court judge over in a fit of road rage incident, has been sentenced to community work. James Lawrence Beaumont Gilliland was charged with injuring Justice Mary Peters "with reckless disregard for the safety of others" following an altercation in Auckland's Ponsonby in May. It resulted in Justice Peters breaking her wrist in four places. She sits in the High Court at Auckl...

No criminal charges will be laid in relation to a Mt Ruapehu bus crash that killed a West Auckland schoolgirl. Police have completed their investigation into the crash near the Turoa Skifield in July that killed 11-year-old Hannah Francis. Eighteen others were injured, including the driver. Police say, as a result of their investigation, no criminal charges will be laid - and they're preparing for...

Czech drug dealer Karel Sroubek is liable to be deported after a firestorm of criticism that embarrassed the Government. Immigration Minister Ian Lees-Galloway has said today he had apologised to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern over his handling of the matter. The new information included that Sroubek was convicted in the Czech Republic, but Immigration NZ did not know this because Sroubek came to N...

An independent review has been launched to into bullying and harassment in Parliament. The review had been talked about for a while, but has become more urgent after recent events, including the sexual assault scandal at Russel McVeigh, allegations of bullying behaviour by Botany MP Jami-Lee Ross, allegations of bullying by Meka Whaitiri, and Dame Laura Cox's report into bullying and harassment of...

The Government is launching an urgent immunisation programme to fight meningococcal disease in Northland, after increasing problems with a new deadly strain, MenW. There's been seven nationwide MenW-related deaths this year, with three in Northland. The number of MenW cases jumped from five in 2016 to 29 this year. Health Minister David Clark says clinical experts have declared MenW has reached ou...

A High Court jury has found a 14-year-old boy guilty of the murder of a 40-year-old Flaxmere man. Haami Hanara has been on trial since Monday in the High Court at Napier. Hanara is one of the youngest defendants ever to be charged with murder in New Zealand. And a ban on vaping in bars, restaurants, and workplaces is being proposed as part of the Government's plans to regulate the product. See omn...

The devastated family of Wellington woman Sonam Shelar believe she may have been murdered. Wellington police searching for the 26-year-old, who was five months pregnant and went missing on Saturday, recovered her body from the Wairarapa's White Rock Beach late yesterday. Family spokesperson Harshal Patkar told the Herald Sonam's mother collapsed when news of her death reached home in India. A woma...

An inquiry is underway into the controversial SAS raid on an Afghan village, which is said to be one of the most complex inquiries in New Zealand history. The main topic today has been deciding what information is to be made public. Dozens of claims have been made in the controversial book Hit and Run, which brought the most serious allegations ever to be aimed at the elite NZSAS. The book, by aut...

A New Zealand woman has been jailed in the UK after she was found to have provided fake qualifications from the University of Auckland to work as a doctor for more than two decades. Zholia Alemi has been jailed for five years after eventually being found out when she was convicted of trying to fake the will of an elderly female patient. A judge described her as "despicable" when ordering her jail...

A 21-year-old Whakatāne man has been charged with murder, after a man hit by a car in Taneatua died late last week. The charges come after a horror weekend on New Zealand roads, which has left at least six people dead in eight major crashes, and several others fighting for their lives. It has bumped the year's current road toll above last year's, and road safety experts say New Zealand may be on t...

Police and Customs have found more than 190kg of cocaine in a container of bananas. The discovery in a shipment from Panama is biggest bust of the drug in New Zealand history. The cocaine would have had a street value of $28-36 million. A Sydney man has been arrested and is facing charges relating to trying to facilitate the importation of part of the consignment into Australia. Also, two Year 8 s...

One of the country's biggest health initiatives isn't picking up serious problems and could actually widen the rich-poor divide. A Herald investigation has revealed serious concerns about the "before school check", including the perverse possibility it could actually worsen inequality. Auckland, Counties Manukau, and Waitemata DHBs have jointly written to the Ministry's chief advisor on child heal...

A touching reunion as a critically ill Napier father was reunited with his daughter at Auckland Hospital. 27-year-old Jarred Thompson was medically evacuated from Fiji to Auckland last night, after falling ill on his one-month holiday to the islands. Thompson had been celebrating the news that he was in remission after going through cancer treatment for the past year when his health took a turn. H...

As the decision looms over what will happen with the Pike River Mine, family members are hoping they'll get re-entry into the drift. Minister Responsible for Pike River Re-Entry Andrew Little has announced the Government has made its decision, and will announce it at Parliament at 7.15 tomorrow morning. The wait means a sleepless night for those who lost their loved ones in the disaster. And sugar...

The first day of primary and intermediate teacher strikes went ahead today, with tens of thousands of teachers taking industrial action, and nearly half a million students impacted. The majority of primary and intermediate schools will be closed for one day this week, as part of rolling strikes around the country. The union's standing its ground over pay, class sizes, and the sector's ability to r...

A man has been charged with kidnapping after holding a knife to a woman's throat in Auckland's Westfield Manukau mall for 1.5 hours. Counties Manukau Area Commander Inspector Adam Pyne says the victim wasn't known to the offender. The knife being held to the woman's throat had a five inch blade. And the Supreme Court rules denying prisoners the right to vote is inconsistent with the Bill of Rights...

A shock admission from the Immigration Minister over Karel Sroubek's case. Iain Lees-Galloway has confirmed he took about an hour to decide on the convicted drug smuggler's residency, but he didn't read the whole file. Sroubek has also released his own statement today, in response to the Deputy National Leader telling Parliament yesterday, Sroubek was questioned in prison about the burglary of his...