West Coast
Compliance checks keep West Coast Regional Council busy
Summer has seen no let-up in the number of dodgy environmental deeds investigated by West Coast Regional Council.
Reefton mega rates rises leave residents outraged
Some property owners in Reefton are in for whopping rate increases of more than 200 percent if the Buller District Council adopts a proposed new rating formula.
Dogs causing a nightmare for rare penguins
The Department of Conservation is reminding pet owners of their obligations after the recent death of a rare penguin on the West Coast.
Cameras being sent into Pike River Mine as part of police inquiry
Cameras will be sent into Pike River Mine as part of the police investigation into the 2010 explosion which killed 29 men.
Gasfitter, company fined $120,000 after 12-year-old's death
An Otago gasfitter has been fined more than $120,000 for incorrectly installing a gas water heater, leading to the death of a 12-year-old boy.
West Coasters ask - where's our $24m?
Pressure is mounting on the government to release $24 million earmarked for the hurting tourism town of Franz Josef.
Wheelchair barriers to be investigated - Buller Council
Complaints that wheelchair users face barriers to access a community meeting room will be looked into, the Buller District Council says.
Mayor rejects MP's claims over future of Franz Josef township
Westland Mayor Bruce Smith is rejecting a claim by the region's MP Damien O'Connor that there is no long-term plan for the future of Franz Josef township.
$24m flood protection and bridge project in Franz Josef under review
Government officials have put the brakes on the $24 million project to shore up the floodwalls around Franz Josef Glacier village and build a new bridge over the wild Waiho (Waiau) River.
Transport agency to build safety crossing for Reefton’s Broadway
Wheelchair users in Reefton will soon have a safe way of crossing the town's main street, State Highway 7.
West Coast DHB reports five adverse events, one fatal
A West Coast patient died last year because hospital staff failed to realise the person's condition had deteriorated and did not transfer them in time to a tertiary-level hospital.
Fox River landfill to be cleared away next week
An old landfill that spewed rubbish along 100 kilometres of West Coast coastlines will be removed.
Reefton roads revamp kicks wheelchair accessibility to the kerb
Getting around Reefton used to be relatively easy for wheelchair-user Lisa Neil, but that changed after works on the main street and state highways.
Mayor warns Franz Josef businesses close to 'falling over'
Westland Mayor Bruce Smith has appealed to the government to release funds for flood protection work at Franz Josef Glacier before the town dies through tourism starvation.
New ghost town warning as Franz waits for flood funds
The West Coast is on the verge of gaining at least one new ghost town unless the government comes through with promised life-support for Franz Josef Glacier, a councillor for the region says.
Council investigating after rock work sabotaged
The West Coast Regional Council is taking a closer look at the row over the Ross lake, where someone has been dismantling a weir built by volunteers to control the lake levels.
Concerns over 'rural generalists' as doctors
In recent weeks, various medics and their union have aired their views on the use of 'rural generalists', a new breed of doctor increasingly being employed on the West Coast.
Slip closes SH6 at Fox River on West Coast
A slip has closed the main highway on the South Island's West Coast, north of the Fox River bridge, near White Horse creek.
Crashing petrels moving south as lights dimmed in Punakaiki
The mystery of why native Westland petrel fledglings keep crash-landing on the West Coast continues, after new LED street lights through Punakaiki were switched off to try to help them during their…
Pike River mine re-entry team reaches Rocsil Plug near end of drift
The work to re-enter the Pike River mine has reached a significant step, with the workers last night reaching the Rocsil Plug near the end of the drift.