Stories by Phil Pennington

A nationwide police operation to cut down on high-risk driving and road deaths has gone badly, an OIA reveals.

Official reviews of fire safety designs in hospitals have found many faults.

Firefighters are refusing to work on a fire truck left stranded without power to its big ladder at a blaze that destroyed a Wellington house last week.

Cyclists thought they had been banned from using a key stretch due to a 'no cycling' sign, but Waka Kotahi has now clarified they can use it - and the sign should have been covered.

The brother of an East Coast forester killed on the job says he gave up a fishing trip to keep felling trees because he knew crews were relying on him.

Longlasting pollutants linked to health scares overseas have been found in this country's urban water systems for the first time.

The shift to use more biofuels is forecast to raise petrol prices and knock up to $1b off NZ's economic growth within four years, but not making a move could also carry big, uncalculated costs.

The Civil Aviation Authority's hounding of a pilot over homicide-suicide risk fears has cost it almost half a million dollars.

Harmful sexual behaviour among children in care is rising fast, and many cannot get the help they need.

Excavation of contaminated soil begins shortly at a Ponsonby school following a fire a year ago that spread asbestos around the neighbourhood.

In the second of a two-part series, Phil Pennington looks at the plight of two families battling the system to come to the truth about a double-fatal truck collision.

A major truck distributor is investigating three trailer tow bars that failed to see if it needs to order a recall of about 600 vehicles.

Two West Otago families were subjected to one of the country's longest and most fraught fatal crash investigations after a truck collision killed two people. Phil Pennington looks at what went wrong.

Figures obtained by RNZ show Oranga Tamariki budgeted $11 million but spent just $7m, a $4m underspend or 38 percent, meaning community child support services got a lot less than they could have.

Firefighters have been struggling with their big ladder hoses breaking down, posing a danger to them and to being able to put out a fire.

The father of a forestry worker killed on the job says a coroner's findings could herald a shake-up for the industry.

A major Masterton building owner is furious at the outcome of a five-year-long inquiry into a structural engineer signing off on flawed earthquake designs. Audio

The Ministry for Culture and Heritage is grappling with a lack of Māori language and culture capabilities, according to internal surveys.

Police are pressing pause for now on using facial recognition technology to identify people off live camera feeds, but will still use it on stored footage.

A service helping children recover from sexual violence says there is little sign of extra help coming under a new national strategy.

A change to a key part of the housing intensification bill has been enough to alarm supporters, but too little to placate critics.

Government officials are confident Tiwai Point aluminium smelter will not close if aluminium prices remain high.

An MIQ hotel health and safety representative says problems with escapees are not being addressed because the system neglects workers.

The High Court has ruled against the police who are trying to avoid paying up if they lose an unprecedented proceeds-of-crime case over a fatal explosion that killed a young welder.

Consents for medical facilities are being held up by extra questions about fire safety designs.