Tragic bus crash survivors being taken care of by Bay of Plenty authorities

Police have confirmed FIVE people have died after the bus they were on rolled on State Highway 5 at Mamaku about 11 yesterday morning

Bay of Plenty road policing manager, Inspector Brent Crowe, says the bus carrying Chinese tourists had 27 on board.



He says two people were seriously injured - and Police are working with the Chinese consulate to notify the victim,'s next of kin

Meanwhile a number of investigations are underway into what caused the crash..

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A property commentator says there's one part of the government's KiwiBuild reset... he's struggling to buy into.

Housing Minister Megan Woods has announced 400-million dollars will be set aside for a progressive home ownership scheme.

But OneRoof's Ashley Church says without more detail... it's just virtue signalling.



Church says the best part of the reset is the drop in the deposit needed to buy a first home, down to five percent.

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Green MP Chloe Swarbrick's called out politicians' for their silence on cannabis law reform.

She led a discussion with former Prime Minister Helen Clark in Auckland this morning, about her Foundation's report arguing for the drug's legalisation.

Swarbrick says some politicians are staying mum on cannabis to keep their jobs.



Swarbrick says it's difficult to push change when you know the path's going to be complex.

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Convicted child sex offender, Peter Ellis, has died.

His lawyer, Rob Harrison confirmed Ellis 'slipped away peacefully' surrounded by his family and friends.

The 61-year-old served seven years of a 10 year jail sentence for abusing seven children at the Christchurch Civic Childcare Centre in the 90s.

He always maintained his innocence, and after a near-three decade fight to clear his name - the Supreme Court last month said it would hear his case.

Ellis had been fighting cancer.

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Hurricane warnings are being ignored as Dorian moves toward the US east coast

The category 2 storm has dropped in intensity but increased in size

People have been waiting days for the slow moving storm to hit.

CNN correspondent Drew Griffin says officials are urging the public not to become complacent



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Defense Secretary Mark Esper has approved the use of $US3.6 billion in funding from military construction projects to build 282 kilometres of President Donald Trump's wall along the Mexican border.

127 defence projects will be affected, with half the money comingy projects in the US, and the rest will from projects in other countries.

Esper's decision fuels what has been a persistent controversy between the Trump administration and Congress over immigration policies and the funding of the border wall.

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In Sport.........Rugby...........All Blacks halfback Aaron Smith can't help but laugh at the difference in himself from four years ago.

The Highlanders halfback played significant minutes in his first rugby World Cup with the All Blacks in 2015.

Four years later he's established himself as one of the senior players in the 2019 squad.

Smith says when he thinks back, he was so young.