A Northland council is calling for a national crackdown on the sale of vapes, which it says is an epidemic infiltrating the community and causing problems at schools.

In downtown Dargaville there are 13 vape retailers in the space of one kilometre.

Kaipara District Council says it cannot do anything on its own - and wants to see a national guidelines to control their sale.

Anei te kai ripoata a Katie Todd.

The Heath Minister is "dreaming" if he thinks it's not a crisis. That from one of 900 doctors who completed a survey by the New Zealand Women in Medicine Charitable Trust, that found the overwhelming majority believe the system is in crisis.

Last night in an open letter to the Prime Minister the trust warned Aotearoa is at risk of a catastrophic collapse of the healthcare workforce".

Still, Health Minister Andrew Little refuses to use the word "crisis". That has left many feeling ignored, as well as undermined and under pressure.

Three doctors who took part in the survey gave Checkpoint their diagnosis of healthcare in this country and a taste of life and death on the frontline.

A fierce storm is hitting Christchurch and Banks Peninsula this afternoon, with several roads closed because of flooding.

Our reporter Adam Burns is in Christchurch with the latest.

Pacific leaders are scrambling to bring Kiribati back in to the fold, on the eve of one of the most significant meetings in the region.

Kiribati has declared it's withdrawing from the Pacific Islands Forum - after expressing concerns about the leadership.

Now leaders from around the region - including Jacinda Ardern - are arriving in Fiji for the talks.

Koroi Hawkins reports.

Space lovers are farewelling an airborne observatory as it makes its final visit to Christchurch after years of research trips.

SOFIA - short for Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy - is a 747 adjusted to fit a 2.7m telescope.

For 10 years the aircraft has helped scientists collect data that would be missed by a telescope on the ground - but it has being shut down as new technology supersedes it.

Our reporter Tessa Guest and cameraman Nate McKinnon went to have a look.

The All Blacks loose forward Ardie Savea has leapt to the defence of under fire coach Ian Foster in the wake or Saturday's loss to Ireland in Dunedin.

Ireland's win was their first against the All Blacks in New Zealand and means the series is on the line in Wellington this weekend.

Foster's win rate has now dropped below 70 percent and again led to calls for him to be replaced ahead of next year's World Cup.

Captain Sam Cane has also copped criticism with questions over whether he remains the best option for the number 7 jersey.

Savea says while there's always "noise from outside" he tries to ignore it.

The legality of rodeo has been questioned today at the High Court.

The Animal Law Association and animal rights group SAFE want to bring an end to what they say is an "unnecessary and unlawful" sport.

Our reporter Kirsty Frame has been in court.

Protesters wanting a 20km stretch of beach north of Auckland to retain all its sand have launched what they're calling a 'David versus Goliath' battle.

They've got strong messages for the company that's been sand mining at Pakiri Beach for more than 80 years.

Hundreds gathered over the weekend in opposition of two more resource consent renewals.

Katie Todd was there.

As we face a second wave of Covid-19 coupled with other winter bugs, health officials say they are our best form of protection.

It comes as 8395 community cases were reported today. And almost 700 people are in hospital with the virus including 13 in either ICU or HDU.

But after almost two years of mask wearing, experts fear too many New Zealanders have become complacent.

Samantha Gee reports.

GP and chair of the NZ Women in Medicine Charitable Trust Dr Orna McGinn says doctors and nurses are gaslighting their patients if they don't agree with what patients are seeing and experiencing.

Today the Trust released the findings of a survey into the state of the healthcare workforce, highlighting the crisis in the system.

"I can understand why health leaders don't like to use inflammatory language like a 'crisis' because we ... don't want to undermine confidence in the system," she told Checkpoint.

"But this is quite clear to patients who are waiting for appointments and waiting for surgery and waiting in queues... that the system is in crisis, and we cannot in all conscience dismiss when they ask us, do you think the system is in crisis.

"So we're gaslighting our patients if we don't agree with what they're seeing."