National has appointed former senior Bill English and John Key staffer Cameron Burrows to be the party’s new chief of staff.Burrows is well known in Parliament having advised former prime ministers John Key and Bill English. He…

The man convicted of careless driving that resulted in a crash killing five of his passengers will be deported in January.Junwei Zhang was the driver of a tour bus carrying 27 passengers when it lost control near Rotorua in 2019….

Police have reissued an appeal for sightings or any information of a man who has been missing for nearly a month. Ōtāhuhu resident Atonio Finau, 65, was last seen on November 16 and his family have serious concerns for…

Test your brains with the Herald’s afternoon quiz. Be sure to check back on nzherald.co.nz for the morning quiz tomorrow.

Auckland will move to the orange traffic light setting at 11.59pm on Thursday, December 30.”Cautious optimism” is how PM Jacinda Ardern described the city’s falling Covid case numbers under the traffic light system while announcing…

A paraglider has crashed into a tree and is suspended above the ground near the New South Wales city of Wollongong.

Emergency services are en route to Stanwell Tops, where the paraglider has become entangled in trees and is unable to free themselves.

Multiple Fire and Rescue NSW resources have been assigned to secure and lower the pilot.

READ MORE: Australian's groundbreaking heart attack treatment

https://twitter.com/FRNSW/status/1470210507189538818

More to come.

Ahead of what is hoped to be a bumper summer season, camping grounds in the South are preparing for an influx of people – and Covid-19.Glendhu Bay Motor Camp near Wanaka is fully booked for the summer, with a waiting list.Under…

Australia and South Korea have signed a $1 billion defence agreement today as Prime Minister Scott Morrison and President Moon Jae-in held talks in Canberra.

Under the agreement, Korean defence company Hanwha will provide 30 self-propelled howitzer artillery weapons, 15 ammunition supply vehicles and radars.

It will also include a new Centre of Excellence built jointly between the South Korean company and the Federal Government in the Victorian region of Geelong.

READ MORE: Emotional reunions as Queensland border opens

Speaking on the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Australia and South Korea, Mr Morrison said the links between the two nations were strong.

"The contract with Hanwha demonstrates the value of industrial collaboration in supporting our countries in addressing mutual security challenges," Mr Morrison said.

"We are partnering with Hanwha to create an Armoured Vehicle Centre of Excellence in the Geelong region, which will establish a further strategic defence industry hub and future export opportunities for Australian businesses."

Mr Morrison said the deal would create a minimum of 300 jobs.

As part of the deepening ties between Australia and South Korea, both will upgrade their relationship to a "comprehensive strategic partnership".

Mr Moon is making a four-day visit to Australia.

READ MORE: Australian's groundbreaking heart attack treatment

Leaders pledge on Indo-Pacific security

Mr Morrison and Mr Moon both stressed their nations' ambitions of securing a free and open Indo-Pacific region as Chinese military power expands.

The Australian prime minister stressed a strong security environment was important in confronting economic and trade sanctions by Beijing.

"To ensure peace and stability, yes, you need a strong security environment where the rule of law is upheld and those who seek to live by that rule of law – which we would hope to be everybody – abide by it, and we uphold the institutions importantly that make that possible."

Mr Moon said South Korea and Australia defend the same values, but the relationship with China was also very important.

READ MORE: UK faces 'tidal wave' of Omicron cases

"We want a harmonised relationship. And we want to maintain such a relationship, and we will be putting in the efforts to make this happen," Mr Moon said.

Mr Morrison said South Korea has an important role to play in resolving tensions between China and Taiwan.

"It does have its own unique standing within the region and its own relationships with each of the key principles that are engaged in that issue and we both share a very strong partnership and alliance with the United States and that provides an opportunity for dialogue," he said.

"Equally, Korea also has a very strong and open dialogue with China."

There could be an oversupply of school teachers in New Zealand next year, especially if border restrictions remain strict, the Ministry of Education says.Unusually high numbers of teachers have stayed in the profession during the…

A woman’s treatment for terminal bowel cancer was delayed for years due to “a number of oversights” from her GP, the Health and Disability Commissioner has found. For more than two years the woman in her 30s – who had a complex…