Chief medical officer Brendan Murphy joked 'you're very lucky Ruby Princess unloaded in Sydney rather than in New Zealand' and nervously laughed during a briefing to Kiwi politicians.

While Professor Brendan Murphy remains committed towards getting transmissions down to as low as possible, he believes the ultimate goal of total elimination could be unachievable.

Two hospitals in Burnie, northwest Tasmania, were closed on Monday amid a cluster of more than 60 COVID-19 cases, including about 45 staff, associated with the facilities.

New Zealand is about to head into their fourth week of strict level four restrictions which only allows people to leave their homes for essential services and exercise.

Around 2,000 high net worth individuals and their families could be granted a resident visa if they bring $50million dollars to invest in job creation.

Five deaths and 81 infections are linked to a cluster on Tasmania's north west coast, forcing two hospitals to be shut down and more than 5,000 people including 1,200 hospital staff quarantined.

A clever amateur chef has made her own version of McDonald's famous bacon and egg McMuffin in an air fryer.

The Australian Prime Minister who earns an annual salary of $549,250, is not planning to follow in the footsteps of New Zealand.

Ministers in New Zealand agreed to a 20 per cent cut on Wednesday but Prime Minister Scott Morrison said paycuts were 'not being considered' in Australia.

After the coronavirus pandemic shut down global sport, New Zealand Rugby and the players' association agreed to put on hold £12mi, or 50 per cent of the year's remaining forecast spend.

Barring an upswing of new COVID-19 cases in the new few days, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will on Monday decide to lower New Zealand's lockdown from level four to level three.

Politicians in the UK and Australia have doubled down on their refusal to reduce their pay packets since Ms Ardern said she and her top staff would slash their salaries by 20 per cent.

Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said there is a 'serious possibility' that New Zealand could open borders to Australia sooner than the rest of the world If the rate of infection continues to drop.

Two applicants made multiple claims against New Zealand's Prime Minister at Auckland High Court on Thursday.

The organisation has called the situation "its greatest challenge" with the cash available for unions needing immediate funding.

Police are looking for a woman (pictured) accused of spitting at a transport worker. Auckland Transport CEO Shane Ellison said the incident was "upsetting."

EXCLUSIVE BY NIK SIMON: The campaign will go down to the wire as The Mail on Sunday can reveal that rival Agustin Pichot has secured the backing of New Zealand, South Africa and Australia.

The $250,000 vessel was intercepted by New South Wales Police in waters off Lake Macquarie, north of Sydney, at 4.30am on Saturday.

The 34-year-old Briton appeared in court in Sydney on charges relating to a huge haul of suspected methamphetamine found onboard the vessel.

EXCLUSIVE: Pichot wants the Lions to travel to new destinations - as well as Australia, New Zealand and South Africa as part of his vision to globalise the sport if he is elected World Rugby chairman.

The driver had been stopped by police in a suburban street in New Zealand last week. They claimed they were going to the supermarket but police didn't believe them.

New Zealand has seen its infection rate fall since going into strict lockdown nearly three weeks ago, with fewer than 20 new cases recorded each day over the past three days.

Those most at risk from coronavirus will be prioritised on three flights leaving Auckland and two from Christchurch, British High Commissioner to New Zealand Laura Clarke (pictured), said.

Nga Roimata Beattie-Rihari died about 7.45pm Sunday in Moerewa on New Zealand's North Island when a 43-year-old man allegedly  veered onto the wrong side of the road and hit her vehicle.

Jacinda Ardern has announced the removal of the toughest measures from New Zealand's coronavirus clampdown.

Quick-thinking Silicon Valley billionaires booked flights for New Zealand as soon as the COVID-19 crisis began to escalate.

Radio host Mike Hosking challenged the New Zealand Prime Minister for saying level four lockdown is to be extended by 'two business days' when retailers will be missing out on five days of trade.

The group performed the traditional Māori war dance in a ward in the Tavistock Hospital in Devon, southwest England over the weekend.

Experts from Oregon State University found that feeding on the ocean's surface plays an important role in the hunt for food among New Zealand blue whales.

A crew member serving food to hundreds of passengers may have been responsible for the coronavirus outbreak on board the Ruby Princess cruise ship.  

Maizie Lewis' fourth birthday wish was to go through the McDonald's drive-thru near her house in New Zealand and order a six-piece chicken nugget Happy Meal with her family.

Jenny McGee, 35, was singled out for praise alongside Luis Pitarma, 29, by the Prime Minister after treating him at St Thomas' Hospital in central London.

Under some of the world's toughest coronavirus restrictions, all non-essential shopping and online delivery has been forbidden since 26 March.

'This tough decision has been made with the continued safety and well-being of his fans... and with the concern that these gatherings continue to risk accelerating the spread of the Coronavirus,' he said.

While the New Zealand-born Australian fighter was succeeding in the octagon, he admitted he was missing out on key events around him like birthdays, wedding and even funerals.

Images captured during dawn services at war memorials in Melbourne and Wellington on Saturday showed vacant streets and small crowds.

EXCLUSIVE, MIKE BROWN TALKS TO JOE MARCHANT: The campaign between Sir Bill Beuamont and Agustin Pichot has turned into a battle between north and south.

Peter Dutton said an arrangement with New Zealand is a logical first step in lifting restrictions before Australia could look at opening up to other nations within the region.

Australian National University infectious diseases expert Professor Peter Collignon believes Australia's suppressed approach has had greater success than NZ's elimination strategy.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has outed herself as an app sceptic, but still plans to push on with a version of Australia's COVIDSafe app in her country.

Sir John Key and Lady Bronagh became the owners of a high-end harbourside apartment in McMahons point last week, but placed it back on the market a day later.

The probe was launched earlier this month after Professor Brendan Murphy made the suggestion to a New Zealand parliamentary committee.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had an intimate 'catch up' over the phone with Queen Elizabeth II last night.  

The footage filmed from a beach at Mount Maunganui in New Zealand showed the vessel seemingly suspended above the ocean last week.

Hundreds of hungry Kiwis have queued up to get their first McDonald's fix in weeks after the fast food restaurant reopened its doors following strict COVID-19 lockdown.

Australia and New Zealand's science, research and innovation sectors have banded together in a recently formed strike task force to help governments respond to the pandemic.

Ian McInnes, Council for International Development chair and chief executive of signatories Tearfund, says New Zealand is enjoying a moment of global strength and should use it.

McDonald's stores in New Zealand have announced they are having difficulty sourcing ingredients to make their famous burgers because of coronavirus lockdowns.

Franchisees Rob and Linley Parry, who own the three restaurants in Rotorua, New Zealand , opened on Tuesday after the country eased coronavirus restrictions to level three.

The singer, 24, who is dating Gigi's brother Anwar, 20, spoke about the happy news after the model confirmed she is five months pregnant with her first child.