The Waikato region in New Zealand is attracting major film productions beyond its famous Hobbiton legacy, with upcoming projects including the Minecraft movie.

A New Zealand mother has been sentenced after her toddler was hospitalized with 15 different substances detected in his bloodstream, prompting urgent intervention by child welfare authorities.

A young adult has died from meningococcal disease in New Zealand's Waikato region, prompting health officials to urge the public to get vaccinated.

Police in New Zealand have seized $10 million worth of luxury cars and properties in a methamphetamine bust across the Waikato and Auckland regions. The operation also disrupted an importation ring linked to the Mongols gang.

Businesses along New Zealand's SH3 between Taranaki and Waikato are facing their ninth highway closure this year due to road repairs, expressing concerns about the economic impact.

Hospitals in New Zealand's Waikato region are experiencing a significant IT outage, forcing them to revert to paper-based systems for patient care. Experts suggest years of under-investment in IT infrastructure are to blame, though the exact cause of the current disruption remains unclear.

A report on Spring Hill Corrections Facility in Waikato, New Zealand, found that staff and prisoners reported readily available contraband and a lack of drug testing for five years.

A rapid clinical review has determined that a man's death in the Waikato Hospital Emergency Department was an 'acute unexpected incident,' prompting new national guidelines and improved signage.

A Waikato man, a barrister, is taking his health insurer, Southern Cross, to court after they refused to cover the cost of his ADHD diagnosis. He believes the claim was denied in bad faith.

A patient was found unresponsive in a toilet at Waikato Hospital's emergency department after a nine-hour wait, leading to their death. A rapid review has been ordered into the incident.

A senior Waikato police officer has acknowledged the 'impact and harm' caused to the family of an 11-year-old boy with autism who was mistakenly handcuffed by police.

Medical students at Otago University will have fewer regions available for their placements as the new Waikato medical school has secured placements in Nelson/Marlborough, Hawke's Bay, and Whanganui.

State Highway 3 at Taranaki's Awakino Gorge, a vital link between Taranaki and Waikato, was closed at 6 PM after fresh slip movement was detected, an area frequently affected by weather-related closures.

Researchers have found that some Asian patients with limited English proficiency at Waikato Hospital are not receiving adequate language support prior to consenting to surgery.

One person has died and two others were injured following a three-vehicle crash on the Waikato Expressway at Pōkeno.

The Waikato Expressway is experiencing delays and has been closed southbound south of Rangariri following a serious crash.

A series of three earthquakes has occurred north of New Zealand's Bay of Plenty, with the initial light tremor felt by over 1950 people across several regions including Auckland, Waikato, and Coromandel.

Police are investigating after 18 pet goats were inhumanely shot and left dead in a paddock in north Waikato, New Zealand.

A Waikato community has rallied together to provide a new home for a healthcare worker who lost her previous residence five years ago. The woman has dedicated decades to working with families in the health sector.

A hotel in Waikato, New Zealand, is highlighted as an ideal destination for an autumn minibreak, particularly noted for having the best hidden bar in the region.

A yellow heavy rain watch is in effect for Auckland, Waikato, Taupō, and Taumaranui, with a local warning issued for Northland, as more heavy rain and strong winds are expected to sweep in from the north.

Police are currently at Tuakau College in Waikato, New Zealand, which has been placed on lockdown due to an ongoing incident.

Colour set to fill Hamilton skies as Balloons over Waikato lifts off again  NZ Herald

He walked past seven staff, but a search did not begin for nearly an hour, with CCTV showing him at the snack machine before being found unconscious.

One of about 5500 Waikato Health New Zealand employees whose pay was missed told RNZ she has been dipping into her son's account while she has just $2 in hers.

Truckers in New Zealand are surprised by an update to the country's 50-year-old bridge building manual, which now restricts the heaviest haulers from using recently constructed bridges in Auckland and Waikato.

A beloved pet named Pedro has been safely returned to his family in Waikato after disappearing for an unusually long period of three and a half years.

Mira Arif has been named one of two Waikato winners on the YWCA Y25 list, advocating for ethnic communities to be heard without having to complain.

Police are investigating an unexplained death after a body was discovered in a burning car on a rural road in Waikato, New Zealand.

Kids in Need Waikato, a charity supporting foster children, is seeking donations of larger clothing sizes for teenagers. The organization reports that some teens are refusing to go out due to embarrassment over their ill-fitting clothes.

A man from Waikato, New Zealand, filmed himself sexually abusing his 5-year-old daughter and sent the images to a US paedophile, later claiming it was a 'terrible misunderstanding'.

A union reports that staff at Spring Hill Correctional Facility in north Waikato, New Zealand, are resorting to shortcuts due to short-staffing and low morale, potentially putting the public at risk.

State Highway 2 in Waikato, New Zealand, is closed following a two-vehicle crash that resulted in one fatality.

A truck rolled on State Highway 3 in Awakino, Waikato, disrupting traffic flow and resulting in one person being hospitalized with moderate injuries.

A man found unconscious in a toilet at Waikato Hospital's emergency department died, with witnesses describing a chaotic scene as staff attempted resuscitation.

Māori healthcare providers in Taranaki state the region is prepared to host students from the new medical school in Waikato. Taranaki is one of five areas designated to receive these students.

Police are investigating the sudden death of a woman found at an address on Tokoroa's Hinau St in Waikato just before midnight.

Students from the new Waikato medical school will be embedded in five regional and rural communities to address the shortage of doctors in those areas.

A person has died at the scene after a collision involving two vehicles in Waikato, New Zealand, according to police reports.

The New Zealand government has announced a $1.77 billion investment to extend the Waikato Expressway, with an additional $1 billion boost for rail infrastructure. The funding decision has drawn criticism from the Labour party regarding the significant cost increase.

The 'Show Up and Shine' initiative is successfully increasing school attendance rates in Waikato and Canterbury by rewarding classes with the highest attendance with a visit to Ninja Valley.

A toddler has tragically died following a vehicle incident that occurred on a property in Canterbury, New Zealand. Authorities are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the child's death.

Police have arrested a 30-year-old woman following an alleged stealing spree targeting patients in hospitals across Auckland and Waikato.

Over 200 litres of diesel were drained from a tank at a Waikato property, prompting a police chase in New Zealand.

The states of emergency for Northland and Waikato regions in New Zealand have been lifted. This follows similar actions earlier in the day for Tauranga, Hawke's Bay, and Western Bay of Plenty.

A new isotope study on 250-year-old skeletons from New Zealand's Waikato region indicates that some Māori communities primarily consumed vegetables and fruits.

Locals in New Zealand's Waikato region are frustrated as a worsening toxic algae problem in the hydro lakes makes them unsafe for swimming, raising health concerns for both people and animals.

Hundreds of historical pieces from the Tirau Museum in Waikato, New Zealand, are scheduled to be sold at auction next month.

Balloons over Waikato, Relay for Life – here's what's on in Waikato  NZ Herald

Police in New Zealand are investigating after human remains were found in the Waikato region, between Te Awamutu and Otorohanga. The discovery has led to traffic disruptions in the area.

Motorsport and music – here's what's on in Waikato  NZ Herald

Three individuals have been arrested following a shooting incident in Waikato, New Zealand, which left one person injured.

An editorial highlights how the rugby team's first Shield win in 48 years strengthens community ties and revitalizes grassroots support for the sport across New Zealand.

Tainui has launched a scathing attack on the government after farming regulations designed to protect the Waikato River were paused until 2032. The decision has drawn strong condemnation from the Māori iwi.

A new curriculum in New Zealand makes no mention of climate change until Year 11, an omission that a University of Waikato education professor describes as massive. The topic is included in draft Year 11-13 Geography and Science curriculums, but this is seen as insufficient.

The wife of a 79-year-old patient who died after going missing from a ward for nearly an hour at Waikato Hospital has voiced ongoing concerns about staffing levels and staff experience.

Emergency services are at the scene of a crash on State Highway 1 near Te Oko Horoi Bridge in Cambridge, Waikato, where one person has been seriously injured.

Two individuals required medical treatment following a chemical scare in Waikato, New Zealand. The nature and origin of the substance remain unknown.

Tenders for the Waikato Expressway extension will soon be requested, while Hutt City Council is seeking assistance to secure a route for its Cross Valley Link, indicating movement on two significant North Island road projects.

New Zealand's Health Minister announced that a new 28-bed ward at Waikato Hospital, originally scheduled for completion this year, will now not be ready until 2027.

A rapid review is underway following the death of a patient at Waikato Hospital's Emergency Department. The patient was found unconscious after being triaged, and resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful.

New Zealand's Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey is seeking to meet with the family of an 11-year-old Waikato girl who was sedated, to apologize for the government's failings and discuss potential compensation.

Two reports have found major failures led to an 11-year-old autistic girl being mistaken for an adult, restrained, and injected with drugs in a Waikato Hospital mental health unit, causing lasting trauma to her family.

Thousands of visitors have gathered at Mystery Creek for Day 1 of Fieldays, the Southern Hemisphere's largest agricultural event, showcasing tractors, utes, and agri-technology.

A new 'social supermarket' has opened in Hamilton, New Zealand, in response to a significant increase in food insecurity, particularly in the Waikato region which reports the highest proportion of affected individuals.

A fatal crash occurred near Tekapo, resulting in one death. Separately, State Highway 1 at Piarere in Waikato was blocked due to another crash.

A Fulton Hogan employee was killed in a crash on the Waikato Expressway while providing assistance to a stranded motorist.

Emergency services were called to a property in the Waikato rural area of Kopaki after a person died. The individual was reportedly struck by a tree they were felling.

Police in New Zealand are investigating a woman accused of stealing personal belongings and credit cards from hospital patients in Auckland and Waikato while they were undergoing treatment.

The Hamilton South and Te Rapa stores are the first to trial the technology with the system set to roll out in Bunnings stores nationwide.

An 82-year-old man died the day after being discharged from Waikato Hospital, where a junior doctor misdiagnosed his abdominal aneurysm as a hip sprain.

The NZ Herald provides a guide to upcoming sport and cultural events scheduled to take place in the Waikato region.

Students were reportedly in tears after a teacher was injured during an incident at a school in Waikato, New Zealand.

The first kaupapa Māori center for individuals living with dementia is set to open in Waikato, New Zealand, addressing the growing number of Māori affected by mate wareware, which is projected to nearly triple by 2050.

Homegrown and Beach Hop - here's what's on in Waikato  NZ Herald

Health New Zealand had been scrambling to pay about 5,500 staff in Waikato who didn't get their money on time.

A serious collision between a car and a motorbike on State Highway 1 in Waikato, New Zealand, has left one person in critical condition.

Several people from a tour group were rescued from the Waikato River after they got stuck themselves while attempting to help four men who had called for assistance.