Hawke's Bay

Councils in some of the regions hit hardest by Cyclone Gabrielle are relieved the government is promising to pay for the repair job on local roads, so the cost will not fall back on ratepayers.

Analysis - Wairoa is years behind on some high-priority water supply projects, but the jobs it did put first paid off when Cyclone Gabrielle hit.

Families are still displaced and hundreds of homes unliveable in Wairoa, three months after Cyclone Gabrielle.

Silt is clogging the rivers, birds are in the wrong place, and trout are in the drains. The effects of Cyclone Gabrielle have been devastating to native species.

The action is affecting schools from Wellington north to Taranaki and Hawke's Bay.

The Rangitata has made 13 trips between the two North Island cities in its first month of operation, transporting vital supplies after road closures caused by Cyclone Gabrielle.

Labour's Kelvin Davis has brushed off the shock departure of Meka Whaitiri, while her leader has called it an "awakening". Audio

The government is putting $172 million into cleaning up silt and debris from Cyclone Gabrielle.

East Coast residents are frustrated with the pace of decision making following Cyclone Gabrielle.

The region will suffer economic losses up to $3.5 billion over the next decade unless more support comes soon, a new report claims.

A man accused of breaking into an elderly man's home and stealing two phones - one a landline - has been arrested.

Telecommunications companies say it's still a "very fragile" situation, and long-term fixes need to be found.

Napier business associations and community services are concerned at the prospect of a nearly 12 percent rates hike.

An elderly man has been hospitalised after a home invasion in the Hawke's Bay town of Wairoa.

Hawke's Bay regional councillors have agreed the public is owed answers and accountability for the performance of its flood protection assets during Cyclone Gabrielle.

An East Coast iwi is partnering with the government to give iwi and local groups more say in decisions about uplifiting children.

Two earthquakes at a magnitude of 5.9 and 5.3 have struck near Pōrangahau in the lower North Island. Audio

A sizeable chunk of state housing is on flood prone land, with more builds being put on land expected to flood in the future.

Napier homeowners are facing a rates hike of almost 12 percent, in part to help fund the council's Cyclone Gabrielle recovery efforts.