Police have ruled out foul play over the discovery of a decomposed body in a creek north of Auckland.

Children spent 11 days playing with the remains of what they thought was a crocodile in a creek before a parent discovered that the body was human.

Researchers believe they may be dealing with two or even three unrelated causes of illness in the Hauraki Gulf.

Health authorities have issued an alert for all eastern Auckland and Hauraki Gulf beaches after two dogs died and others fell sick.

This has been an especially awful week for Phil Goff.

An unemployed man used by Labour as an example of someone who would benefit from its dole policy owns properties worth hundreds of thousands.