Tom Kitchin

It is peak apple harvest time across the country - and Omicron is not showing any signs of slowing down in the two busiest apple harvest regions - Hawke's Bay and Nelson-Tasman.

The small isolated communities along Tairāwhiti's East Coast say they are putting in the hard mahi as Covid-19 cases rise.

The region, which includes Gisborne and the East Cape, has the highest per capita rate of Covid-19 in the country.

A young man who caused the death of an RSE worker while driving a van on the Napier-Taupō highway has been convicted and disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Hawke's Bay Hospital has had to scale back some of its services and operations, as the number of Covid patients in the hospital grows. Audio

Winemakers in New Zealand's oldest and second-largest wine region are worried Omicron will disrupt their busiest time of the year - the grape harvest.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has been met with despair and anger in New Zealand at protests today. Audio

Organisers of Napier's Art Deco Festival are hailing this year's celebration as a success.

Poor internet access in Tonga because of last month's eruption and tsunami is putting massive pressure, stress and strain on seasonal workers trying to come to Aotearoa for the pipfruit harvest.

Napier councillors are divided on whether the city's ageing and outdated pool should be closed.

Dirty water complaints in Napier have risen rapidly in recent months.

Despite the many event cancellations across the motu due to Omicron, Napier's Art Deco Festival is still going ahead next week, but it will be hugely scaled back.

New Zealand's biggest pipfruit region is bracing itself for another impossibly tough season.

Regional leaders in Hawke's Bay have decided to oppose the decision to drop the speed limit on the highway between Napier and Taupō.

Napier's council is saying little on whether it will mandate vaccine passes at most of its public facilities, despite its twin city Hastings doing it with a growing number of cases in the region.

Residents and leaders in Hawke's Bay are making last-ditch attempts to stop lower speed limits on the highway between Napier and Taupō.

Many schools and kura across the motu will be starting back for the year today, but it will be unlike anything they have faced before.

The national transport authority is standing firm in the face of local opposition to a lower speed limit for the road between Napier and Taupō.

Parts of Aotearoa may have to prepare for a third consecutive year in drought.

Locals living by the highway between Napier and Taupō are lodging a petition with Parliament to try and stop the speed limit being lowered to 80km/h along part of State Highway 5.

Hawke's Bay surf lifesavers are urging people to take care at the region's beaches, after large wave swells appeared across the area.

One of New Zealand's most iconic festivals is on track for its busiest year yet, with more than 5000 tickets sold and organisers hoping they won't have to cancel for a second year running.

Many RSE workers around the motu are stuck here for Christmas and New Years. So what do they do? Our Hawke's Bay reporter Tom Kitchin spoke to some.

Eight farms want to take 15 million cubic metres of water out of the local aquifer for extra irrigation. Water security is the top issue for many in the Central Hawke's Bay district.

The government has unveiled a roadmap to overhaul antiquated and inadequate conservation laws while stepping up plans to address long-standing problems in the short term.