Auckland is a work in progress and now is not the time to deviate from the current path, says Len Brown as he seeks a second term as mayor of the Super City.

A lopsided mayoralty race is bad enough, but at councillor level, confusion abounds, writes Brian Rudman. "With what promises to be a one-horse mayoral race, this October's contest is likely to attract a turnout more akin to the 38 per cent of 2007."

The Government's willingness to bail out councils that break the law is angering the ratepayers who are paying the cost.

John Palino, mayoral candidate, restaurateur, businessman and actor, spent some time this week giving me a lesson on acting techniques.

The deputy leader of Communities and Residents, George Wood, has abandoned the centre-right ticket and set up a new ticket on the North Shore to contest October's local body elections.

The Waitakere Ranges Protection Society celebrates its 40th anniversary, knowing its battle to keep a wilderness on Auckland's doorstep is still far from over.

A year after closing 27km of walking tracks in the Waitakere Ranges in a bid to halt the spread of a disease that kills kauri trees, Auckland Council is being defied by hundreds of bush trail users.

It's time to ditch the reckless timetable, put back the notification date, and give council officers a chance to look at the feedback properly, writes Sally Hughes.

Charging $3 for a 20-minute hospital visit is profiting from people's suffering, says Scott McGill.

Auckland Council's senior management are refusing to give councillor Sandra Coney access to a legal review of the new planning rulebook for the city.

Hospital carpark operators charging the same as spots in the CBD have been accused of "making money out of misery".

Hopefully the agreed provisions in the bylaw for socially responsible intervention to deal with the problem of begging will remain intact. writes Mike Lee.

The importance of well established and team sports to young people is a key finding in an Auckland survey of 8000 school-age boys and girls.

You'd think there was a civil war raging in Wellington, writes Bob Jones. "At its root lies a single factor, namely envy of Auckland's population growth and commercial expansion."

Christchurch City Council will continue to issue building consents despite losing its accreditation, but has seen its credit rating downgraded today.

Transport chiefs celebrating Britomart's 10th birthday as an underground train station are looking forward to punching a big hole out from its western end.

Former Auckland mayor Christine Fletcher has told how she effectively bet her home as well as $300 million of ratepayers' money on her vision for Britomart.

Troubled Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker has pulled out of the upcoming mayoral race as his council struggles with a consent crisis.

DOC has been warned that proposals to dig a tunnel or construct a monorail between Queenstown and Milford Sound could threaten the region's World Heritage status.

Auditor-General Lyn Provost has told the Auckland Council to urgently address purchase card payments after finding they were being made without appropriate documentation.

Christchurch council boss Tony Marryatt has taken leave over the building consents debacle as an urgent inquiry is launched to see if any buildings are dangerous.

A proposed bylaw to rid Auckland’s streets of beggars has divided New Zealand Herald readers.

Christchurch City Council had its building consents accreditation removed because it was granting consents that could potentially put people and property at risk, International Accreditation New Zealand says.

The latest Herald-Digipoll survey shows 61.5 per cent of voters disapprove of the deal and only 33.8 per cent approve, writes Brian Rudman.

Begging could be banned throughout Auckland under a bylaw being drafted by the council.

The ban on begging under consideration by Auckland Council comes as other cities trial different ways to address the social problem.