Editorial: In one swoop, all houses built before World War II will be deemed to have special merit. Never mind that in any period a mixture of good, average and awful homes are built.

The Maori Council's High Court bid to halt the sale of Mighty River Power ended in Wellington today with a decision likely before Christmas.

The Maori Council's legal bid to block the Government's asset sales programme is based on a "misconception" about the Cabinet's role in advancing the plan, Crown lawyers argued in court yesterday.

Labour proposal useful contribution to debate and will be considered, says Brown.

Neighbours to discuss rich lister plans for landing pad and flight path in quiet bay.

The Government has reinstated plans to allocate a percentage of the houses at Hobsonville Point in Auckland as affordable homes priced under $485,000.

Grafton Gully cycleway final stage of 15km dedicated trail from Te Atatu to Beach Rd.

Councillors baulk at the prospect of unleashing wardens in public reserves.

Wanganui district councillors Clive Solomon and Michael Laws remain habitual non-attenders at council and committee meetings.

Only 12 victims of the $11 billion leaky homes catastrophe have received final payments from a $1 billion Government and local council scheme, raising the ire of experts.

Switching Auckland Council's focus from debating the big issues facing the city to a culture of solving them with speed and urgency is the big challenge facing Auckland's leaders, says Michael Barnett

A stadium won't do justice to lifting Auckland's economy or aspirations to a position as a world city of scale, writes Tony Garnier. It needs an architectural statement beyond the Sydney Opera House.

Residents of a small coastal town are refusing to pay for a $58 million debt that has crippled their local council and left them with the bill.

"This sort of male dominance should not be supported by this council." Accusations of racism and sexism surface during an Auckland Council debate.