For most Kiwis, getting vaccinated takes no more than an hour or two – and even that can be met with grumblings of inconvenience. Precious few have the right to complain within earshot of Robert Long – dubbed New Zealand’s most…

The Ministry of Education is ordering air purifiers and carbon dioxide monitors to help cut the risk of Covid transmission in school classrooms next year.Air quality experts have been calling for the move, warning stuffy classrooms…

Christmas takes a whole lot of organising, what with the presents, the decorations and the get-togethers.

But the one thing that can't be organised is the weather.

So it's good to know ahead of time whether your barbecue is going to get washed out, or if the sun will be so scorching that your Christmas pudding lights itself on fire.

READ MORE: The worst scams to watch out for ahead of Christmas

Of course, the further we are from a particular date, the less accurate the weather forecast will be.

As we get closer to December 25, this article will be updated with the most recent forecasts.

But as it stands today, here is what the weather will be like on Christmas Day around the country.

Sydney

AccuWeather is forecasting a rainy Christmas Day in Sydney. A passing shower in the morning will be followed by a rainy afternoon.

Temperatures will be a mild 20-24C degrees, but throughout the day it will be cloudy and humid.

Melbourne

AccuWeather forecasts a hot Christmas Day in Melbourne, with no rain and not a cloud in the sky.

A high of 28C will cool down to 17C at night.

Brisbane

AccuWeather predicts a stormy Christmas Day in Brisbane. Clouds will cover the sky all day, with showers and a thunderstorm predicted.

Temperatures are forecast to peak at 27C.

Perth

AccuWeather forecasts a mild and sunny Christmas Day in Perth.

A high of 25C is forecast, though the UV index will reach a dangerous level of 12. Remember to slip, slop, slap.

Adelaide

AccuWeather forecasts a hot Christmas in Adelaide, topping off at 30C.

No rain is forecast, and there won't be a cloud in the sky.

Darwin

Darwin will be cloudy and hot on Christmas Day, AccuWeather predicts.

A little rain in the morning will be followed by afternoon thunderstorms. Temperatures are expected to reach 33C.

READ MORE: The best Christmas ads of 2021

Hobart

AccuWeather forecasts "brilliant sunshine" in Hobart on Christmas Day. Temperatures will reach 22C. It is predicted to get cloudy at night with a chance of rain.

Canberra

The nation's capital will be mild and dry on Christmas Day. AccuWeather forecasts a top of 24C in Canberra.

It is expected to be partly cloudy, cooling down to 12C at night.

After more than 100 days in lockdown, Aucklanders can finally hit their local bar again.Join Focus reporter Cheree Kinnear, Ninety Nine Reasons founder and event director Frankie Mahoney and NZ Herald business editor Liam Dann live…

After four months in lockdown, Aucklanders are back at the pubs and restaurants and celebrating like it’s New Year’s Eve.With the sun shining this afternoon and the new traffic light system in place, folks were quick to head to…

Children taking to the skies on their way to medical treatment will be watched over by a new mascot, in an effort to make the journey a bit more comfortable. The Air Ambulance service operated by Air Whanganui officially received…

Labor will commit to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 43 per cent by 2030.

The policy exceeds the forecasted 35 per cent reduction put forward by Prime Minister Scott Morrison at the Glasgow summit last month.

The dramatic reduction would be contingent on the party winning next year's federal election.

READ MORE: Alan Tudge stands aside pending investigation

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese described the plan as having the "most comprehensive modelling ever done for any policy by any opposition in Australia's history since Federation".

The plan is forecast to create 604,000 extra jobs by 2030, with 80 per cent of them in regional Australia.

"Australian business is leading. It is time that the Australian government caught up," he said.

"That is why our plan to create jobs, cut power bills, boost renewables and reduce emissions, is the right plan for Australia."

He outlined a plan for community batteries and solar banks.

Taxes will also be reduced on cheaper electric vehicles.

"We want Australians to benefit in terms of jobs, and that is why we will be making new energy apprenticeships to make sure that the work can be done," he said.

"What we have done here and we are announcing today is good policy consistent with (net) zero (emissions) by 2050."

The Labor leader took a swing at Mr Morrison in launching his climate policy.

"In Glasgow, Scott Morrison gave an empty speech to an empty room with empty promises and no plan," Mr Albanese said.

"This is a government that is frozen in time while the world warms around it.

"I expect the government to lie about this policy."

Labor's energy policy will reduce energy bills by $275 by 2025, and $378 by 2035, Shadow Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen has said.

"Over the last eight years Australia has been missing out on the jobs opportunity that is the world's climate emergency," Mr Bowen said.

"Australians are paying more for electricity than they should be because this government keeps missing opportunities."

Mr Bowen said many of the jobs created in their climate plan will be in the Hunter Valley, Central Queensland, the Pilbara and Latrobe Valley.

"The Federal Government released a fortune cookie and they released their policy, scribbled on the back of a coaster," he said.

"We, as the alternative government, releasing a plan supported by comprehensive evidence."

READ MORE: Greg Hunt gives tearful farewell speech

Coalition frontbencher Peter Dutton touted the government's progress on Today this morning.

"We've reduced emissions by 20 per cent," he said.

"We've got the biggest investment into renewable energies in the world – the solar uptake is as high as anywhere in the world."

The Greens, meanwhile, have proposed a 75 per cent reduction by 2030 and net zero by 2035.

READ MORE: Greens Senator apologises for 'disgusting' remark to Liberal colleague

The latest design images of Christchurch’s new half-billion-dollar covered stadium have been revealed today. Work on the new 30,000-seater rectangular-turf Canterbury multi-use arena (CMUA) is due to be finished by mid-2025. Four…

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.

The Nothern Territory has recorded its first death from COVID-19 since the pandemic began.

The unvaccinated Indigenous Australian woman in her 70s died with the virus in hospital.

She is from the Binjari community, just outside Katherine.

READ MORE: Single ticket wins $80 million Powerball 

"This is the first death associated with COVID-19 in the Northern Territory and relates to the current outbreak of which there are 60 cases," the NT Government said in a statement.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner extended his condolences to her family and community.

"They are a tight community who care for each other and about each other," he said.

"This is a very hard day for them."

The NT has also recorded two new COVID-19 cases from interstate travellers.

Neither are related to the current cluster.

Mr Gunner said the first case is a man who arrived from Melbourne on November 29.

After arriving with his three family members, the Victorian Government alerted him that he was a close contact.

The man carried out a rapid antigen test in home quarantine, which was positive, then a PCR test which was also positive.

He and his family members are now in quarantine.

Mr Gunner commended the man for his decision making.

"I commend this gentleman. He did everything right and took it seriously and most importantly to his obligation to the territory seriously," he said.

The second case is a woman who arrived with her two children from Adelaide on flight JQ692 yesterday.

The flight is now deemed a close contact exposure site.

During the flight, the mandatory departure PCR test returned positive.

The family is now in quarantine.

New travel restrictions have been announced for South Australia after today's positive case.

Arrivals from SA will now be required to undertake seven days in home quarantine.

The NT has declared SA a red zone "for the purposes of travel" from 8pm today.

READ MORE: Scientists discover trigger of rare blood clots with AstraZeneca

Mr Gunner said major crime detectives are now investigating the Katherine COVID-19 outbreak after it was started by a woman from Cairns who lied about her whereabouts on her border entry form.

"COVID had not previously been in the Northern Territory in an environment where it couldn't be contained," Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker said.

"We will now investigate to identify what the cause may have been, that ultimately led to COVID being contracted by the lady that passed away last night and whether there is any criminality in relation to that."