A law change to ban gang patches in schools and police stations could be too broad and capture people who are innocently wearing gang colours, MPs have been told.

A Rotorua man has admitted benefit fraud which lasted more than 15 years.

A hitchhiker murdered a motorist who picked him up and offered him a bed for the night after he made an unwelcome sexual advance, a court has heard.

A former Mana Party candidate and Green Party member has appeared in the Rotorua District Court charged with assaulting a woman and possession of cannabis.

A neglected dog was left with scabies over his entire body, lost most of his fur and suffered damage to his eyes after his owner failed to get treatment for him.

The driver of a Nissan Skyline involved in a crash with a van near Reporoa which injured nine tourists has been found by police.

An Auckland man has been sentenced to six years and 11 months for stabbing a police officer in the head and offending against his former partner.

Debbie Armstrong eyeballed the man who killed her cyclist husband and through heart-wrenching sobs told him he was selfish, reckless and irresponsible.

A Rotorua woman has been jailed for texting her son during a defended hearing in an attempt to stop him giving evidence against her.

The Rotorua community is raising funds for the family of three-year-old Elliott Crimp who is in Starship children's hospital with meningococcal C.

A man has appeared in court this morning charged with causing the death of a Rotorua hunter.

Donations have been flooding in for Rotorua 82-year-old Gavin Hayes after a teenager allegedly stole his car which he can't afford to replace.