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An ISIS-inspired "known threat" to New Zealand has carried out a terror attack in Auckland, stabbing at least six people in a supermarket before being shot and killed by police.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has condemned the attack, which left three people in a critical condition, as "despicable" and "senseless".

The shock incident took place on Friday afternoon at a Countdown supermarket at New Lynn, a southwest suburb of Auckland.

Police Commissioner Andy Coster said the man, who was under constant surveillance because of his radical ideology, carried out the attack around 2.40pm.

Mr Coster said trailing agents did not suspect he would act, believing it was "a normal shopping expedition".

Police believe the man grabbed a knife within the store before stabbing nearby men and women.

Mr Coster said police acted "with great courage", shooting and killing him around 60 seconds after the attack to "prevent further injury in what was a terrifying situation".

Police said the man was a "lone actor", and there was no ongoing threat to the public.

St John said three patients were in a critical condition at Auckland City Hospital.

A further three patients - one in a serious condition and two in moderate conditions - were also taken to hospitals across Auckland.

Few details about the attacker have been released due to court suppression orders.

However, Ms Ardern said the "violent extremist" was a Sri Lankan national who arrived in 2011 and was on a terror watchlist from 2016.

"Agencies were using every single possible means available to them to protect the New Zealand public from this individual. Every single possible means," she insisted.

"It was senseless and I'm so sorry that happened."

Newshub reports the man yelled "Allahu Akbar" as he attacked.

Ms Ardern said she did not want to see a backlash against any community from the incident.

"What happened today was despicable. It was hateful. It was wrong," she said,

"It was carried out by an individual, not a faith, not a culture, not an ethnicity,, but by an individual person who was gripped by ideology that is not supported here.

"He alone carries the responsibility for these acts."

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison is among those to offer his support to New Zealanders in the wake of the terror attack.

"Australia condemns the horrific terrorist attack in Auckland. Our thoughts are with all those affected," he said.

"We stand with our Kiwi family in deploring all such violent acts designed to create fear and divide us. Kia kaha New Zealand."

The attack is New Zealand's most violent terrorist act since the Christchurch mosque shootings in 2019, when 51 worshippers were killed in a premediated attack carried out by an Australian white nationalist.

The imam for one of two mosques targetted on that day, Gamal Fouda, said Friday was New Zealand's "darkest day" since then.

"It's a horrible thing ... not just for the Muslim community but for all New Zealanders," he told Stuff.

"This person is not understanding of what our religion is about."

Frightening first-hand reports have emerged in the hours since the attack.

Michelle Miller, a resident of nearby Avondale, told Radio NZ she saw a man "running around with a knife, then he just lost the plot".

"It's horrific. I feel sorry for the Countdown staff, I feel sorry for the people who were actually hurt here today," she said.

Countdown spokeswoman Kiri Hannifin said staff were "devastated" by the attack.

"Our hearts are heavy knowing what our team and customers have witnessed and been through," she said in a statement.

New Zealand is currently in a national lockdown to fight a COVID-19 outbreak, with Auckland at strict level four settings.

© AAP 2021

Swedish supergroup ABBA have announced their first new album in four decades and said they would stage a series of virtual concerts using digital avatars of themselves in London next year.

Fans piled online to celebrate the long-awaited reunion of one of the world's most successful bands. "2021 has been saved by new ABBA music," @elliemiles23 said in one widely shared Twitter post.

The album "Voyage" will come out on November 5, the band said during the streamed launch. They released two of its 10 songs - "I Still Have Faith In You" and "Don't Shut Me Down" - on Thursday.

"First it was just two songs," songwriter Benny Andersson said in a pre-recorded video message.

"Then we said 'maybe we should do, I don't know, a few others. What do you say girls?' And they said 'yeah' and then I asked 'why don't we do a full album?'"

The recording went smoothly, co-songwriter Bjorn Ulvaeus said. "It all came rushing back in a matter of seconds."

"I knew when Benny played the melody it just had to be about us," he added about "I Still Have Faith In You". The new album will also include a Christmas song "Little Things".

The concerts will be held at a purpose-built ABBA Arena in London's Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in May, and feature digital versions of its four stars Agnetha Faltskog, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad.

The "abbatars" were created using motion capture technology - similar to that used to create Gollum in "The Lord of the Rings" movies series - and will show members of the band as they looked in 1979.

"The only big problem was that we had to shave our beards," Andersson said.

The concerts will feature 22 songs, including the two new numbers and a "sort of a greatest hits" compilation, including "Dancing Queen", he added.

ABBA was founded in the early 70s by then couples Agnetha and Bjorn, together with Benny and Anni-Frid. Their initials gave the band its name.

They sold more than 385 million albums and topped charts from Australia to America with a string of hits including "Waterloo", "The Winner Takes It All" and "Take A Chance On Me".

Their last album with fresh material, 1981's "The Visitors", included songs tinged with the sadness of their divorces. The band split a year later.

Rumours swirled for years that ABBA would get back together, but the members turned down many offers, including one reported $US1 billion ($A1.4 billion) package to tour again.

© RAW 2021

Many online shoppers face delays in getting their parcels when Australia Post stops pickups in lockdown states for three days so it can process a backlog.

Collections from digital retailers in NSW, the ACT and Victoria will pause from 7am on Saturday, September 4, to 7am on Tuesday, September 7.

All three jurisdictions are currently under lockdown orders after a surge in coronavirus cases.

"This temporary measure will allow us to responsibly clear record parcel volumes in parts of our network impacted by COVID-19," Australia Post said.

"The safety of our people is our highest priority.

"This will help ensure volumes are kept to a safe and manageable level."

Collections from online retailers in other states and the Northern Territory will continue as normal.

Express Post, Premium and Startrack Express services and collections from post offices are not affected.

© AAP 2021