Local Government stories
More investment in roads, pipes and transport is needed or Auckland’s networks will struggle to cope with 34,500 new homes.
Councils and environmentalists say the money will help, but warn it still falls short of the infrastructure needed for booming visitor numbers.
More than 5,000 Havelock North residents fell ill after faecal contamination entered the town's drinking water, a government inquiry found.
Political risks around Urban Development Authorities may be justified, but heavy consultation and funding gaps could blunt their impact.
A direct hit on the capital could cost New Zealand about USD $29 billion and trigger wider economic damage, Deloitte warns.
Deloitte says a direct 7.8 magnitude quake beneath Wellington could inflict a NZD $29 billion blow, with billions in damage and lost jobs.
Occupancy and room rates are surging in Queenstown and Auckland, putting New Zealand hotels on track for a record year.
Thousands of coastal homes could become uninsurable as sea levels rise, shifting climate costs on to homeowners and government.
Industry leaders say the extra NZD $11 billion in capital spending could unlock private funding for roads, hospitals and housing.
Flood-hit communities are being urged to plan for rising sea levels and more frequent extremes as experts warn current rules lag behind climate risk.
Wellington’s future growth could be slowed by quake risk and a funding model that makes new housing increasingly unviable, says Property Council Chief Executive Connal Townsend.
Building owners and insurers in New Zealand can now track structural risk in real time as Mainmark introduces STRAAM for damage assessment.
Planners face fresh pressure from fast-moving reforms, housing demand and hazard risks as more than 600 delegates gather in Wellington.
Growing councils may soon gain new ways to pay for roads and water as a report urges options beyond rates and debt.
The report is seen as a warning that New Zealand’s planning rules are failing cities and could hamper future development unless reform is coherent.
Fragmented local decision making is still set to slow growth unless planning, funding and delivery are aligned, Infrastructure New Zealand says.
The ruling limits local authorities' exposure after the Invercargill City Council won its appeal over liability for Stadium Southland's collapse.
Planning reforms will face scrutiny in Wellington, with more than 600 delegates set to quiz parties on housing, growth and resilience.
Councils say tourism growth is straining toilets, roads and car parks, with more than 680 projects worth NZD $1.38 billion in train.
Communities face billions in upgrade costs as local councils seek a single framework linking freshwater standards, funding and affordability.
