Stories by Jimmy Ellingham

You wouldn't buy your kid a sibling as a present, so don't buy a companion animal without thinking very hard, an animal charity says. Audio

Workers on the front line of NZ's mental health wards say surging demands are leading to people getting turned away or discharged early. Audio

Robyn Dandy plans to use her $150K payment to go on a South Island roadtrip with her pets in honour of the grandson she's lost.

A survivor of the Lake Alice unit where children were tortured in the 1970s has now received an in-person apology.

Shane Emeny says the current arrangement is affecting his health and he's on "a lonely path" as he waits for a state house. Audio

A man who was 14 when he says he was raped by a prominent professional on trial for sexual abuse says the professional knew how young he was.

The man has been charged over two incidents, one in March last year and one in 2007, with a boy who was then 14.

Andre Gilling is adjusting well after spending half his life behind bars, the Parole Board says.

A Palmerston North woman who fell ill in the Cook Islands four years ago is worried the progress she's made in her recovery will stall due to changes in disability funding. Audio

Rubbish is strewn throughout the home, there are cracks in the ceiling and the fridge and dishwasher are missing. Audio

The proposal to toll the long-awaited, 11.5 kilometre, four-lane highway between Manawatū and Tararua has attracted controversy.

Marton Counselling Centre is now fighting for survival, furious about its plight compared with Mike King's well-funded Gumboot Friday programme. Audio

ACC has confirmed the psychologist is one of its approved service providers, able to treat and assess clients with sensitive claims. Audio

Figures obtained by Checkpoint showed there were 656 mental health vacancies in New Zealand, including 380 registered nurses and 130 psychiatrists. Audio

On 1 November 1944, 733 Polish refugee children arrived at their new home - a former POW camp. This weekend, about 20 are back. Audio

Eighty years ago, 733 shaven-headed children arrived in New Zealand as refugees from Poland - now Pahīatua, their adopted home, is welcoming some back, along with their descendants. Video, Audio

Malcolm Richards - who also has cancer - is in hospital in Hastings, and needs a transfer to Wellington for a triple heart bypass. Audio

Steve Watt had asked the Medical Council to investigate Dr Selwyn Leeks years ago - but his plea fell on deaf ears. Audio

Almost 1000 athletes are jumping, flipping, twisting and balancing this week at the national gymnastics championships. Audio

Health Minister Shane Reti says $6 million allocated to Palmerston North Hospital's ED will help ease waiting times and improve patient care and safety.

Lake Alice survivors are dismayed a psychologist they knew from the notorious psychiatric facility is still providing services for ACC. Audio

The plan to charge motorists $4.30 and trucks $8.60 a trip on the Manawatū-Tararua highway has come under heavy criticism. Audio

Massey could not initially contact its technology service provider during an online exam failure that affected hundreds of students. Audio

An imbalance in the coronial system between lawyered-up government agencies and bereaved families needs to be reviewed, say those families. Audio

His family say they've been "ghosted" by government ministry staff and left in the dark about the reasons for the cut. Audio