Stories by Sharon Brettkelly

Auckland Council is promising to fast track more building inspections after long delays last year as it struggled to cope with the construction boom.

Local representatives in east Auckland have joined opposition to a 300-house development planned for reserve land.

The father of a six-year-old potentially exposed to contaminated water at a South Auckland dental clinic is furious families were not alerted sooner. Video

Auckland's housing market is showing more signs of cooling, with values dropping in many suburbs in the last three months.

A sexual abuse help group says the judge got it wrong when he ruled in favour of a man who posted photos of his half naked wife on Facebook.

An urgent meeting is being called after reports of soaring house prices pushing out poorer families and causing shortages of housing for elderly people. Audio

An angry Point England resident has accused Ngāti Paoa of hiding behind protocol when questions were raised about its controversial plans for a local housing development.

An Auckland iwi's plan to build 300 houses on a Point England reserve is facing growing anger from residents who want it stopped.

The Real Estate Agents Authority is investigating the sale of two neighbouring Auckland properties, one of which changed hands twice in one day.

Valuable resources are being spent searching for people not actually in distress, the Rescue Coordination Centre says.

Whitianga locals are demanding their harbourmaster be rewarded, not punished, after he was stood down for using a council boat to free a trapped orca.

The Corrections Department has paid about $2 million for hotel rooms for extra guards it needs at Mt Eden prison.

A Hamilton group says it has found homes for more than 800 individuals and families in the last two years.

Bakers and other commercial outlets say people who sell food online are avoiding the huge cost of complying with new food safety regulations.

A vote on mandatory palm oil labelling today could affect thousands of supermarket products.

The head of a major steel fabricator wants Immigration New Zealand to halve the time it takes to process work visas for migrant workers.

Construction bosses say at least 1000 workers will be needed to rebuild quake-hit roads and buildings. Audio

A leading earthquake engineer is calling for a quake star rating system to be trialled on buildings.

Corrections Minister Judith Collins is wrong to say she has no power to release the terminally ill prisoner Vicki Letele, says a Wellington lawyer.

Thousands of commuters in south Auckland face a big change to their travel routines today after a major overhaul of the bus network.

One of the world's largest fund managers has launched a new fund for KiwiSavers that excludes investments in tobacco companies and nuclear weapons makers.

Wealthy investors are meeting with social housing providers from across the country in a bid to find urgent solutions to the housing shortage.

An elderly euthanasia supporter has described how police officers came to her home with a search warrant last week and seized a helium balloon kit.

The family of the woman who was carjacked and attacked in Panmure say they are distressed and angry at the brutality of the attack. Video

A decile one Auckland high school is being bypassed by local students in favour of richer schools, despite receiving international recognition, its principal says.