Leticia Malakai's death brings the holiday road toll to 19 - the highest since the 2011/2012 period.

As most Kiwis were partying to see the new year in, others were being born.

Eight people were arrested after a police raid of 12 tents at the Rhythm & Vines music festival at Gisborne yesterday.

The MetService is forecasting rain for much of New Zealand today, perhaps ruining plans for post-party barbecues and sunbathing.

Revellers packed out bars and party-hot spots the length of the country last night to welcome in 2017. Fine weather in most of the

A spectacular fireworks display off Auckland's Sky Tower and parties around the country herald the start of a new year.

A man has been arrested after another man was allegedly stabbed in the remote East Cape.

American hip hop artist Chance the Rapper wooed a capacity crowd on the first day of Rhythm and Vines, telling the crowd he would move to NZ.

Sombre music rang out as the band opened the service with a tribute to Sione Taumalolo, 11, and Talita Moimoi Fifita, 33, killed in the bus crash.

Survivors of the deadly Christmas Eve bus crash in Gisborne will perform a tribute concert today - the same day the bus was recovered from the scene.

The surviving members of the Tongan band involved in last week's bus crash will fly to Auckland tomorrow, courtesy of Air New Zealand.

Fund will help the people injured in Gisborne bus crash.

A teen killed alongside two young friends in a "preventable" early morning crash has been remembered in an emotional tribute urging other drivers to take care.

The 11-year-old boy who died in the Christmas Eve bus crash was "quiet, kind and smiley" his sister says.

State Highway 2 between Gisborne and Wairoa will be closed at some point over the next two days to investigate at fatal bus crash.

Her smile always made him happy, says the widower of Gisborne bus crash victim.

Don't let the morning cloud fool you - it is set to be a fine Boxing Day for New Zealanders, with Central Otago tipped as the best place to be.

The two people killed in the Christmas Eve bus crash near Gisborne last night have been named, as the driver of the bus says the brakes failed.

There was a record downpour in Auckland, a tornado in Taranaki and "quake lights" above Wellington. Oh, and 2016 was likely also New Zealand's hottest year on record.

Final repairs were made this morning to high voltage lines which were brought down when a light plane crashed, killing the two people on board.

Now that Gisborne is out of the unexpected chaos and back to the usual Christmas mayhem, locals are reflecting on how it all started. Made with funding from NZ On Air.

Now that Gisborne is out of the unexpected chaos and back to the usual Christmas mayhem, locals are reflecting on how it all started. Made with funding from NZ On Air.

More than 40,000 Gisborne residents have been asked to prepare for eight hours without power again this Sunday.

Tairawhiti Police, Civil Defence and Eastland Network called a press conference today, with some good news. Made with funding from NZ On Air.

Tairawhiti Police, Civil Defence and Eastland Network called a press conference today, with some good news. Made with funding from NZ On Air.

Reiha McLelland, 13, was under great pressure to keep secret her relationship with her former teacher Sam Back, an inquest has heard.

Power has been fully restored to more than 20,000 homes and businesses in Gisborne tonight, after a 33-hour outage.

Police will continue to have extra patrols on the beat in Tairawhiti tonight following three burglaries in 24 hours. The crimes

Power is expected to be restored before nightfall for Gisborne residents, the electricity company says.

As the bulk of the Gisborne district remains without power after plane crashed into high voltage lines, the residents of the region are mucking in.