Wellington Region

Wellington's mayor has said "we want our streets" back as the Covid-19 policy protest nears the end of its second week outside Parliament.

Water tankers have left four south Wellington suburbs now that the mains supply has been restored.

A broken pipe that cut off water to four Wellington suburbs has been fixed but the water will stay off until 11pm.

Residents in four southern Wellington suburbs are expected to be without water for most of the day after a pipeline broke.

Wellington shops face a crisis, university buildings have closed for eight weeks and Wellingtonians say they're sick of disruption from the protest at parliament.

Almost 30 Wellington community leaders - mayors, MPs, principals and business leaders - have banded together to urge an immediate end of the illegal protest activities at Parliament.

A criminal trial due to start on Monday has been adjourned because the defendant cannot get access to the High Court in Wellington. Audio

A towing company owner says it could take 20 trucks working unimpeded for a day or so to clear 400 vehicles blocking the streets around Parliament. Audio

A combined statement from groups of protesters at Parliament grounds says they are "disappointed" that a letter sent to the government on Monday asking for talks has been "ignored".

Maritime police say a fishing boat crew managed to get the four adults off the 12-metre launch and they are now being transferred to the police launch, the Lady Elizabeth.

The National leader will not negotiate with the protesters and says they are difficult to engage with given their "anti-social, abusive" behaviour. National's whole caucus has agreed not to meet them.

Victoria University of Wellington is backing the police's cautious approach to handling the protest that has closed its city campus and seen staff and students abused. Audio

RNZ reporters say the streets are still blocked by cars and trucks that have been parked up illegally for days, and more tents are being set up in surrounding areas.

Police have crack negotiators on the job trying to end the occupation of Parliament's grounds, Wellington's police district commander says. Audio

Images from the sixth day of the protest against the government's Covid-19 restrictions outside Parliament in Wellington.

A central Wellington street that was closed after a pedestrian died at the scene of the car crash has been reopened.

The Chief Ombudsman is formally investigating Masterton District Council's civic centre process, it has been revealed.

Firefighters are refusing to work on a fire truck left stranded without power to its big ladder at a blaze that destroyed a Wellington house last week.