Taranaki

Local leaders hope the Prime Minister John Key will offer more assistance to the flood-damaged lower North Island after he sees the scale of the damage when he visits the region today. Audio

Farmers in the lower North Island say they feel insulted by the government assistance on offer after last weekend's flooding. Audio

Two people in their late 60s say they were roughly handled by Police when they were forced to evacuate during flooding in south Taranaki. Lawyer Russell Fairbrother QC joins the Panel to discuss the… Audio

On the line is the Taranaki South District Council's mayor Ross Dunlop. Audio

We're off to north Taranaki to talk to a man who is both pursuing a past time he really enjoys, and, is doing something really helpful for young people in his community. His name is Gary Sarten, and… Audio

Shane Bayley is Civil Defence's national controller. Audio

Nikki Kaye is the Civil Defence Minister, she says the Government and local government officials will be looking at whether infrastructure is up to the task but those talks can wait. Audio

The Horizons Regional Council will meet this morning to decide how long to keep the state of emergency in place in Whanganui. Audio

Further north no vacancy signs in South Taranaki and confusion around evacuation centre opening times forced some flood victims to sleep in their cars. Audio

As many as 100 water-logged homes along Wanganui's Anzac Parade could remain inaccessible until next week. The city was cut off for a time after wild weather closed access to the north and south on… Audio

Protester says the felling of 23 pohutukawas on the Waitara riverbank today has left the township looking out on to a concrete wall topped with barbed wire. Audio

Gillian Gonthier has spent nearly 40 years thinking about and preparing hospital food. The dietician started her career at Taranaki Base Hospital in 1976. It was a time when hospital breakfasts were… Audio

Top students from secondary and tertiary institutions gather to compete for first place in a speech competition - in Chinese. Lynda Chanwai-Earle meets students from around the North Island to see who… Audio, Gallery

Young dairy farmers are still feeling optimistic about the industry, despite the low payout, and their farms are well set up for winter, that's in both the North and South Islands. Audio

A hardy handful of protesters gathered around their local post box in New Plymouth today, with one saying he might chain himself to it. Audio

There will be more than just competition points on the line when Super Rugby high-flyers, the Hurricanes tackle the Chiefs in New Plymouth tomorrow. Audio

A Taranaki mental health advocate says new funding criteria are ripping the heart out of services for provincial New Zealanders. Audio

A Taranaki rugby club is campaigning for the canning of a toilet tax that's costing volunteer groups thousands. Audio

Should people convicted of serious crimes be free to talk to the media?; a review of reporting racial issues picks out one particular paper; big-name papers end up publishing the same stuff twice. Audio