Two crew members from the Mattina container ship who have Covid-19 are quarantining in a monitored facility in the community after being treated at Southland Hospital.Another crew member, the captain, is isolating separately in…

A man who denies threatening to car bomb two Christchurch mosques on the March 15 terror attack anniversary has today lost his bid for continued name suppression. However, the 27-year-old man charged with threatening to kill people…

A judge has ordered an “urgent” independent review into Mana Ahuriri Trust after concerns were raised that it is making plans involving treaty settlement assets it is yet to receive.One trustee is also facing a “please explain”…

Test your brains with the Herald’s afternoon quiz. Be sure to check back on nzherald.co.nz for the morning quiz tomorrow. To challenge yourself with more quizzes, CLICK HERE.

By Tim Brown, RNZ An Auckland woman is facing a months-long recovery after dropping six metres from a chairlift at Cardrona Alpine Resort on Tuesday.Janette Adams said she slipped while getting on a chairlift at the ski field.She…

Queensland could soon become one of the few jurisdictions in the world to ask children under the age of 12 to wear masks as the state grapples with a schools-based outbreak of COVID-19.

The state today recorded another 10 local cases of coronavirus, all linked to cases in Brisbane schools, swelling the cluster total to 89 cases.

About a dozen schools in total have been considered hotspots at some point in the outbreak.

READ MORE: Queensland records 10 new local coronavirus cases

Yesterday, Queensland Health confirmed two-thirds of the cases in the current outbreak were in children or teenagers.

Currently, only children over the age of 12 and adults are included in the state's mask mandate but that could soon change.

The state government says it is trying to source smaller masks that will properly fit younger children.

"There's very few places in the world that get children under 12 to wear masks so we will just work it through and see if it is beneficial and if we can do it," Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said.

"I have had young children, and trying to get them to keep hats on and all sorts of things… but it might end up being those young children in primary school."

READ MORE: HSC Students in Sydney hot spot suburbs may not return to school

Authorities have praised masks as being a key factor in preventing the current outbreak of the highly contagious Delta variant from escalating faster and further.

"If you think about where this outbreak spread, it spread in places that didn't have masks," Deputy Premier Steven Miles said.

"That just underlines how valuable masks have been in controlling spread in other places."

READ MORE: Woman who escaped Gold Coast quarantine still on the run

Queensland AMA president Dr Chris Perry told Today yesterday the outbreak was a "scary situation" particularly for parents.

"We don't know what it's going to do to the kids," Dr Perry said.

"Generally, you think it will be a mild illness but they could shed more virus than older people, therefore their parents are in the firing line, they want to be there with their kids.

"We're in a slightly scary situation."

The World Health Organisation and UNICEF advises that the decision to use masks for children aged between six and 11 be based on whether there is widespread transmission where they live, whether they pose a risk to elderly or vulnerable people, whether they can safely and appropriately wear the mask and any potential impact of wearing a mask on their learning and psychosocial development.

Use of masks is not recommended for children aged five and under, based on their limited capacity to use one safely and effectively, unless they are in contact with someone who is ill, in which case they should be supervised.

Shareholders have given a tick of approval for Refining NZ’s transition to become an import-only fuel terminal at a meeting this morning.The approval means the Marsden Pt-based oil refinery in Northland, run by Refning NZ, will proceed…

Health Minister Andrew Little faced tough questions from GPs today, which he later welcomed, telling reporters that he’s “not here to be licked up and down”.In a speech to the Conference for GPs in Wellington, Little revealed 12…

Australia will avoid another recession, despite the recent economic comeback being interrupted by the Delta variant, according to the Reserve Bank of Australia's Governor Philip Lowe.

The nation's economy will "bounce back quickly once restrictions ease", according to Governor Lowe.

"Increase in unemployment is expected over the months ahead, although mostly through decline in hours worked rather than job losses," Mr Lowe said.

LIVE UPDATES: NSW infections spiral with 291 new COVID-19 cases

Current lockdowns mean GDP is likely to decline in the September quarter.

"How large depends on duration of the lockdowns," he said.

"An increase in unemployment is expected over the months ahead.

"Once restrictions are lifted, spending will bounce back strongly. 

"Timing is difficult to predict, but it's likely to happen well before the end of the year.

"By the end of the year, many of us will be vaccinated and hopes restrictions will be eased into next quarter and as that happens, the economy should begin its recovery."

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham wouldn't rule out a recession when questioned by media on Friday morning.

READ MORE: 'A dog act': Police officer injured at Melbourne anti-lockdown protest

"We can't foresee exactly what's going to happen with COVID-19 and the Delta variant," he said.

"Our economic assistance has shown its ability before to carry Australians through these tough times and to help our economy recover quickly and strongly afterwards."

A report released by the Treasury earlier this week found the economic cost behind the nation's pathway out of the pandemic.

And as vaccination rates rise, less restrictions will be required to manage outbreaks which would reduce the economic cost.

The report found at 50 per cent vaccination rates, the economic cost of minimising cases is estimated to be about $570 million a week.

That cost drops to $200 million a week at 70 per cent and $140 million per week at 80 per cent.

In a shock move today, three members of the West Coast Conservation Board have resigned saying they have been called racist for raising what they see as conflicts between the interests of conservation and the interests of Ngai Tahu.Board…