Protesters gathered in Brisbane to plead with the government to act on climate change, which they said was responsible for the first cyclone to hit southeast Queensland in more than 50 years.

A police investigation is under way into the alleged assault of a 15-year-old boy in Hawke's Bay by police officers.

Suzanne Broomhall, 71, was seriously injured when she and her son were involved in a horrific crash while being driven in the St John health shuttle.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters says he's deeply concerned about renewed fighting in Gaza and "a permanent end to the fighting needs to be found."