Garry Ferris has resigned as editor of the Sunday Star-Times and Fairfax operations after less than a year in the job.
Ferris has been appointed editor of the Southland Times replacing veteran journalist Fred Tulett who is retiring at the end of the year.
At the SST he replaced former editor David Kemeys, who was made redundant under a restructuring that created a new post incorporating all editorial operations in Auckland, including suburban papers and contributions to Stuff and other Fairfax mastheads.
Fairfax editor in chief Sinead Boucher said Ferris was leaving because he had strong family ties to Southland.
Fairfax has faced several changes in its senior staffing.
On August 28 Boucher replaced head of editorial Paul Thompson who was appointed chief executive of Radio New Zealand.
Longtime news editor Miriyana Alexander starts next week as editor of the rival Herald on Sunday newspaper.
Rob O'Neill announced in August he was stepping down as business editor of the Sunday Star-Times to work with ZDNet.
Ferris joined the Auckland newsroom from Australia, where he held senior roles in News Limited in Queensland.