West Coast

Much of the West Coast has been cut off by heavy rain overnight, a rest home was evacuated and about 30 Hokitika people have had to leave their flooded homes. Audio

The Westland District Council mayor Mike Havill, is flying to Hokitika we hope to speak to him after 8, the Grey District Council mayor, Tony Kokshoorn is with us. Audio

Much of the West Coast has been cut off by heavy rain overnight, and more than 20 Hokitika people have had to leave their flooded homes. Audio

Much of the West Coast has been cut off by floods. Hokitika has fared the worst as the town's drains failed to cope with the heavy rain and a high tide at midnight. Audio

Much of the West Coast has been cut off by heavy rain overnight, and several people have had to leave their flooded homes. Audio

Severe weather has closed roads, schools and disrupted flights and caused flooding in Otago and Southland. Reuben Mama was on a bus trip between Christchurch and Wanaka, which stopped in Tekapo and… Audio

Mining for gold on the West Coast has proved successful for Michael Phelps, but now he has decided to protect the remaining native forest on his land from future mining ventures by putting it into… Audio

Nolly Martini converted an abandoned cottage in Harihari into a craft shop and recently her daughter Ingrid has come back from Melbourne to help her run the business. The shop has been open for nearly… Audio

Today we are on the west coast of the South Island, in a town with the Southern Alps and a 15,000 year old Glacier right at the back-door. Audio, Gallery

Back now to this week's budget and the South Island's priorities. Audio

Businesses Franz Josef say new earthquake building restrictions are just a council move to shield it from liability, not to save lives. Audio

Franz Josef businesses and homes set up along the main alpine fault are about to get squeezed, under a planning change that bans their expansion. Audio

Heavy rain throughout the North Island has made underfoot conditions difficult for all North Island farmers, while in the South Island North Otago could do with rain. Audio

The head of Tourism West Coast wants the Government to come up with just over a million dollars a year to help the agency bring in more visitors. Audio

Back now to our lead story and the effect the state of the coal industry is having on the West Coast. Audio

Westport's future looks bleak in the wake of Solid Energy's announcement that it will be cutting more than a quarter of the jobs at at the Stockton mine. Audio

The Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union West Coast organiser, Garth Elliott, was at yesterday's company announcement. Audio

The future of Wesport looks grim after Solid Energy's announcement yesterday 113 more jobs are to go at the Stockton mine. Audio

Westport has been described as a dying town, with a further 113 jobs to be axed at the Stockton mine. Audio

Stockton mine's axed more than a quarter of its workforce today and within months the entire coalmine could be forced to shut down. Audio