Further temperature records could tumble in the South Island this week, say forecasters.

The furthest point from civilisation in NZ is 30km from the nearest building.

Country of origin labelling in NZ is back on track, but with a few changes.

Sir Peter Gluckman says "the science is as settled as it will be" on genetic modification.

AUT has signed a deal with a medical cannabis start-up ahead of a law change.

Government won't reveal how much of the M. bovis costs farmers will cover.

The Govt has not yet given up hope of eradicating M. Bovis from farms.

Farmers could be asked to contribute to a new fund for biosecurity threats.

The Govt spent, taxed and borrowed more in the Budget for little gain, National says.

Greens counted around $610m in Budget wins, compared to $2.8b for NZ First.

The Government says it will build 6400 new state houses by 2022.

Number of farms under control for Mycoplasma bovis jumps from 130 to 290.

James Shaw says this Govt's approach to climate change is not just about farming.

The Government wants to limit farming run-off and intensification.

National leader Simon Bridges gave his first speech on the economy this morning.

The Government has announced the leadership of a powerful new committee on climate change.

Govt's ban on new oil exploration is a "wrecking ball" for regional NZ, National says.

Labour's immediate ban on new oil exploration has been met with a strong reaction.

Jacinda Ardern says just 3 per cent of farms in NZ will be affected by water tax.

National leader Bill English sees fear during visit to rural mid-Canterbury.

Bill English faced questions over how he was going to stop Labour's proposed water tax.

National offers farmers another $13m a year to boost environmentally friendly farming.

The public sector can only buy electric cars unless there's "exceptional reasons" not to.

PM says it would allow the Govt to upgrade its efforts to make NZ predator-free by 2050.

Te Horo residents talk about their hopes and fears in election year.

Eketahuna - a joke town to much of New Zealand - is making an unlikely recovery.

Labour's royalty on freshwater is backed by 70 per cent of Kiwis in a new poll.

How much will farmers really pay if Labour brings in a water tax?

Claims that water levies will cost farmers billions are ludicrous, Jacinda Ardern says.

Jacinda Ardern is promising that Labour will run the "campaign of our lives".

Conservationists have won a major victory in the Supreme Court. But Govt isn't happy.

A third of NZ's native birds could soon go the way of the moa, a damning report reveals.

Water quality in cities was twice as bad as on farmland, Nick Smith said today.

A return to the mandatory addition of folic acid to bread could be on the cards.

Palm oil labelling is on the agenda at a high-level ministerial meeting tomorrow.

Conservation officials working in remote parts of New Zealand are increasingly reporting dangerous encounters with gangs involved in poaching, illegal fishing or timber theft, a new report says.

How do Prime Minister Bill English's comments about drug tests stack up with official data?

Prime Minister Bill English is defending the latest increase in net migration and says he is not looking at curbing demand.

Environment groups are upset that rivers deemed to be "excellent for swimming" under new water quality standards could still make

New target would require cleaning up 10,000km of waterways at a cost of $2 billion.

More communities will get fibre faster as the government speeds up its rollout programme.

John Key is resigning as PM saying it's time to "take a step back in my career and spend more time at home".

Landslips will increase travel between Picton and Christchurch by two hours this summer.

As Govt announces its relief package, Kaikoura businesses spell out what they need to survive.

Killing off all rats, stoats and possums in New Zealand will require novel methods including genetic engineering, Govt has been told.

The Government says it is open to a deal with iwi on the proposed Kermadec Islands marine sanctuary.

NZ and Indonesia have taken an important step forward, the PM says, after the two countries agreed to put a multi-million-dollar export dispute behind them.

John Key says China has given no sign that it has concerns with New Zealand, let alone threatened to retaliate against Kiwi exporters.

Finance Minister Bill English says dairy prices will never reach $8 a kilogram again, but he is confident farmers will get through a drop in payouts and rising debt levels.

Farmers might have to pay for their emissions like everyone else under a revision of the Government's main climate change policy.

Dairy farming was initially rated as one of the highest-risk industries during health and safety reforms before the Labour Minister, Michael Woodhouse, intervened and changed the criteria, documents show.

As the 12-nation trade deal negotiations enter the final stretch, Mr Key said New Zealand was gaining some support on its demands for the dairy industry.

Trade Minister Tim Groser said he was not aware his last name had been turned into a verb: "Grossing".

New Zealanders are evenly divided about whether farmers are moving quickly enough to reduce their impact on the environment, a Herald DigiPoll survey shows.

Chinese company Shanghai Pengxin confirmed it is aiming to buy a $70 million North Island farm, which would be second-largest foreign purchase of New Zealand land.

Greenpeace is trying to keep up pressure on Fonterra to limit its use of palm kernel feed with a public rally outside the Ports of Tauranga.