Wellington, Feb 7 NZPA - A Mount Maunganui solo father who admitted selling cannabis has been jailed for six months.

Judge Christopher Harding told Dale Anthony Pearson, 51, unemployed, he was not able to "hide behind his eight-year-old son", the Bay of Plenty Times reported.

Auckland, Jan 26 NZPA - A woman who stole thousands of dollars from her daughters' cheerleading squad to fund a gambling habit has escaped a prison sentence.

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists expresses sorrow for the loss of life, injury and trauma resulting from the Haitian earthquake.

Wellington, Jan 8 NZPA - Police are still hunting convicted double rapist Maka Renata.

Wellington, Jan 8 NZPA - A 19-year-old Wanganui woman driver has been jailed for three months, after a night of drunken mayhem.

Jessica Winiata was this week sentenced in Wanganui District Court on four charges relating to her behaviour on the night of December 23.

December 10 marks the adoption and proclamation, in 1948, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. But 61 years on, the fight against discrimination towards women remains a primary objective for the National Council of Women of New Zealand (NCWNZ).

"With the release of the third Vulnerability Report we are now beginning to see some disturbing trends including an increase in the numbers of New Zealand children living in benefit dependent households"", said Trevor McGlinchey the New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services

More information about the ACC Sensitive Claims clinical pathway is coming to light, says the National Council of Women of New Zealand (NCWNZ); this information suggests not only discrimination on the basis of gender, but also on race.

I am really disappointed not to be with you today. But I know there is probably no better roopu than this one, to understand that the reason I cannot be with you today, is because of the steps I am taking to care for my health, in my love for my whanau.

After a successful TAKE BACK THE NIGHT march on Friday 27th November, women's groups and survivors are geared up to protest the National Party's cuts to sexual abuse counselling.