News
150,000 tonnes of fallen trees, $1m council costs: Clutha cleanup continues
One contractor says they now have a two-year local wait list. Audio
Taranaki man to unicycle around the world in record attempt
Norm Joe, from Stratford, picked up unicycling as a hobby during the Covid-19 lockdown.
Warbirds Over Wānaka display of deadly jets sparks backlash
The F-22 Raptors are widely considered the most lethal fighter jets ever built, says a former Doctors Without Borders worker.
Liquor store in Lake Hāwea approved despite record objections
Queenstown Lakes District Licensing Committee has approved a liquor licence for a Super Liquor franchise in the Longview subdivision of Lake Hawea.
Fear 'ghost houses' will turn Queenstown into a trainwreck
At any given time, more than a quarter of the district's properties are unoccupied, data shows.
'Blood on their hands': Sir Tim Shadbolt's partner criticises council at funeral service
Asha Dutt raised the treatment of Sir Tim during his final term in 2019, saying he would be proud.
Major IT outage hit southern hospitals, PSA says
Health NZ has not responded to requests for comment.
Workers arriving and leaving Queenstown within weeks
The cost of living is driving people out despite huge demand, recruiters and unions say.
11 stranded whales euthanised, 42 returned to sea
Eleven whales have been euthanised five days on from a mass stranding in Golden Bay.
Roaming cats pose threat to native wildlife in Queenstown wetland
For the past decade, Shotover Primary School students have helped other groups bring the wetland back to life.
How Queenstown is courting the ultra-rich
A hotel with rooms priced up to $50,000 a night is attracting visitors willing to book the whole building.
Queenstown's school buses to keep running - for now
One school bus route will be cancelled, one new route will be added and 11 will continue on an 'interim' basis.
Queenstown first home-buyer numbers reach 18-year high
One in five home-buyers were first-timers - despite soaring property prices and thousands of people on waitlists for affordable housing schemes.
Third party travel booking services 'price gouging' customers
A Dunedin woman is urging people to check they are not booking flights through a third-party agency, after her elderly mother paid far more on flights from Wellington.
'Deporting my child is like cutting off my arm' - Appeals after nurse's son denied visa
Immigration New Zealand rejected the visa application of Nelson aged care worker Nithin Mankeel's son after he was diagnosed with autism.
What was in the email Marlon Williams sent the Treaty Negotiations Minister?
The acclaimed singer-songwriter brought up the 2023 email to Paul Goldsmith during his acceptance speech at this year's Silver Scroll Awards.
Santana Minerals pushes for quicker decision on its fast-track application
The Australian company is seeking consent to tap into what it believes is a $4.4 billion gold deposit near Cromwell.
Wānaka braces for influx of teenage partygoers on New Year's Eve
Police, paramedics and volunteers are concerned about the number of unsupervised young people who arrive with alcohol.
Three people honoured for roles in saving boy in danger of drowning
Australian man Jonathan Young received the bravery award posthumously as he drowned while trying to save the struggling child in Lake Whakatipu.
Ngāi Tahu set to take 33% stake in Milford Sound Tourism
The move would help protect Piopiotahi for future generations, with talks creating a strong foundation for the future, chief executive Haylee Preston says.
Dunedin woman fatally shot herself while deer hunting
Kate Aynsley, 48, had likely removed the safety catch while preparing to shoot a deer, and then may have slipped.
Plan to overhaul Otago and Queenstown healthcare announced
It wants to shift more services out of Dunedin and Invercargill hospitals and into Queenstown, Wānaka, and Cromwell. Audio
At-risk yellowhead mohua returned to Matukituki Valley after long absence
The birds were among the most abundant species in South Island forests in the 19th century, but now number fewer than 500.
Dipping into Lake Pūkaki: Locals, experts conflicted over Meridian proposal
The gentailer wants permission to draw the country's largest hydro lake down to lower levels than usual without needing special approval from Transpower. Audio
Lake Hāwea bottle store backers push growth, community benefits
A record 538 submissions opposed the liquor licence for a proposed Super Liquor, which would be the small southern town's first standalone bottle store. Audio