Stories by Tess Brunton

The fight to save a Southland birthing centre has reached the 11th hour as the formal downgrade date edges closer.

Some West Coast businesses may go bust after the closure of the Waiho River Bridge caused an abrupt end to visits by tourists

Toxic materials are being found among the rubbish washing up along the West Coast after floodwaters spread it along the coastline from an abandoned landfill.

Muslim refugee families living in cold, damp conditions may face a warmer winter following offers of potential homes and donations.

An Iraqi refugee says his family has had to endure cold and damp living conditions in Dunedin because Immigration NZ did not give them enough information about the home they were moving into.

West Coast residents say floodwaters have washed away a lifeline for their community after torrential rain battered the coast for two days. Video

Some Muslim families haven't left their homes since the Christchurch terrorist attacks, so volunteers are creating food hampers and offering to drive around those who feel uncomfortable using public…

Residents at a Wanaka subdivision say they are being effectively gagged from having a say on what happens in their own backyard.

Some tourists may give Queenstown a second thought if a local visitor tax is imposed in the resort town.

A proposed special housing area in Queenstown is copping flak from the community who say the town cannot cope with the influx of more people.

Wanaka's housing market is booming and affordable housing is in high demand, so why are five out of 10 KiwiBuild homes sitting empty?

SPCA chief executive Andrea Midgen says the stabbing death of a miniature horse is one of worst cases of animal cruelty she has heard of.

An American woman is on the road to recovery after she was hit by a truck while riding a Lime e-scooter in Dunedin.

A tourism industry leader hopes politics won't get in the way of the rapidly growing Chinese tourism market.

The Dunedin City Council may have to resort to exporting its rubbish in coming years, due to a lack of planning and foresight.

Most travel to New Zealand is booked through travel agents despite competition from online services.

The pressure of having to look after an influx of tourists is leaving some rural doctor's practices without a GP for hours on end.

The government wants to capitalise on the boom in one of our largest visitor markets by joining forces with China to promote tourism between the two countries.

With more than five million visitors expected to arrive by 2024, a tourism strategy is being developed to help the industry handle the predicted growth.

A push for sustainable tourism is being embraced by the industry as visitor numbers look set to boom.

Tourism operators around the country are bracing for the summer surge with domestic tourism expected to be at its peak.

A Southland port is being eyed as a potential hub for cruise ships to visit and there's hopes that it will help build the reputation of the region as a destination.

Despite Statistics New Zealand releasing regional figures on monthly tourism spending, the government has no record of how many people are visiting the regions and where they are staying.

Fears Wallabies are placed to become the possum problem of the 21st century has prompted a management plan funding bid.

A new survey shows more than half of New Zealanders don't know tourism is the country's biggest earner or how many tourists visit each year.