Canterbury

The long-awaited new home for Christchurch's Court Theatre has officially opened its doors in the central city, 14 years after the devastating quakes that drove it out of the Arts Centre. Audio

The state of emergency put in place in response to flooding has been lifted in Christchurch, but it remains in place for Banks Peninsula.

Much of Canterbury has been inundated with flood water after days of heavy rainfall.

Despite pumping wastewater out onto the street and cleaning toilet paper and human faeces off his lawn for most of the day, one businessman remained cheerful.

Transport services have resumed, but local councils warn that storm damage repairs could take weeks. Audio

The town has been inundated with water, which residents say could have been mitigated.

Meanwhile, Akaroa residents are being asked to reduce the demand on the wastewater system.

The Emergency Management Minister says officials are out checking on residents while further north Cook Strait ferries are sailing again. Audio

Selwyn district residents say record rainfalls that pelted the region were the most they have ever seen.

The scale of the flooding in the Banks Peninsula is the worst in 50 years, a publican says.

Roads are under water around the Christchurch suburb of Beckenham, but residents are hopeful their homes have not been inundated.

Wellington braces for strongest southerlies in more than a decade.

Heavy rain is drenching Canterbury, causing a slip, surface flooding and road closures, with downpours forecast to continue into the night.

Lack of intensive support services means offenders, such as the man who murdered Juliana Bonilla-Herrera, are paroled into the community.

Katherine Mary Hughes was under significant mental stress as his sole caregiver, a court has heard.

A jury found Damin Peter Cook was not asleep when he raped an unconscious woman at his Christchurch flat.