When Kaikoura locals told visiting PM Bill English the Govt effort was "piss poor" in the quake-strewn region, Gerry Brownlee let them have it.

The father of convicted double murderer Scott Watson responds after Gerald Hope's letter following a prison meeting with the man sent away for killing his daughter.

Olivia Hope's father says he felt convicted killer Scott Watson had rehearsed his responses to many of the questions when they met.

The details of the first conversation between the father of Olivia Hope and the man convicted of her murder are revealed in a magazine article today.

Gerald Hope and Scott Watson believe they are both victims who are yet to get the truth about what happened to Olivia Hope and Ben Smart in the Marlborough Sounds.

Convicted Marlborough Sounds double murderer Scott Watson is set to learn before Christmas if he will be paroled.

A new satellite-based tool published by Landcare Research has provided one of the clearest views yet of what changes last month's 7.8 Kaikoura Earthquake wrought on the landscape.

A severe 5.5 jolt that shook central New Zealand yesterday afternoon has been followed by a flurry of tremors overnight.

Motorists travelling the alternative route between Christchurch and Picton have been caught up in heavy congestion today, as traffic pressure mounts on the post-quake thoroughfare.

The signs of summer are among us with pohutakawa trees flowering already and forecasters say the official first day of the season on Thursday will be calm and dry.

A shaky night puts residents across central New Zealand on edge.

A growing number of New Zealanders believe convicted double murderer Scott Watson may be an innocent man.

Wellingtonians and people living on the top of the South Island were shaken awake as a strong quake rattled the centre of the country.

Emergency supplies have finally landed in a cut-off community just 22km north of Kaikoura.

It's time to reach for the sunblock and head to the beach with the country set to swelter in 30C temperatures.

New Zealand is in for a relatively dry day today with areas of morning cloud and isolated showers in the north, clearing around midday and becoming mostly sunny.

Some of the earthquake relief efforts are wrapping up in Kaikoura.

Hundreds of home checks have been carried out in the worst-hit areas by Red Cross personnel since Monday's 7.8 quake.

A Civil Defence helicopter made a nappy run to a remote part of Marlborough to bring supplies to a family with a young baby who have been cut off.

An alternative inland route for ferry traffic has been established running from Picton to Christchurch, via Murchison and the Lewis Pass.

Power, water and road access is slowly being restored to earthquake-hit areas of the South Island as crews work around the clock.

Services slowly return to normal across Marlborough but many still advised to boil water.

Businesses in quake-hit areas will be paid to keep on staff for at least eight weeks, the Govt says.

Questions are being asked about why key government buildings in Wellington have been impacted so badly, as concerns about more buildings emerge.

A further public health message has been issued for quake affected communities.

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

Isolated farms in distant parts of southern Marlborough will soon get their first face to face contact with authorities since the

West Coast police today advised motorists to take extra care when driving through the Lewis Pass and Maruia Valley on SH7 and SH65 as traffic numbers build up.

Police are checking that people have a legitimate reason to be in quake-hit areas.

New aerial photos show there is much work to be done after Monday's 7.8 quake.