Stories by Matthew Rosenberg

Mayor Nobby Clark told RNZ it made no difference if someone was 11 or 12 years of age when it came to justice for "adult crimes".

The condition of a main arterial route out of Bluff has been described as "embarrassing" by a local councillor, who wants action.

One councillor is "disgusted" by Invercargill Mayor Nobby Clark's racially charged language in an interview, while another describes it as a "train wreck".

Residents battling severe erosion in Bluecliffs have been applauded for making plans to relocate their houses or shift out of the area entirely.

Last week, the small Southland township was evacuated so an old dumpsite containing hazardous material could be cleared.

A township preparing to evacuate under a state of emergency will not be completely empty when the last car rolls out.

The small hamlet at the mouth of the Waiau River - 10km from Tūātapere in Southland - has been under a state of emergency since 8 February in the wake of ongoing erosion problems.

The homeowner has been arguing the increase is "drastically unfair and unjust".

A plan to install a raised safety platform at a busy Invercargill intersection has come to a crashing halt following objections from councillors.

The owner pointed out there had been zero increase to the value of their section in that time, and lacks access to key council services.

A suitcase purchased at an "exorbitant" price by Invercargill City Council for the sole purpose of bringing gifts home from Japan has not been used since.

The $750 suitcase was bought with ratepayer funds for the sole purpose of bringing gifts home from Japan.

An image of a possible mouse caught on Stewart Island/Rakiura pest monitoring cameras has sparked concern.

Missing macrons in an Invercargill City Council report has led to a request from mana whenua to do better.

RealNZ-operated Fiordland Navigator ran aground with 67 crew and passengers who were forced to evacuate last month.

An Invercargill city councillor publicly derided the use of te reo Māori in names after a misunderstanding.

A lack of data held by the Department of Corrections on accommodation for former prisoners has raised concern among law and criminology experts.

The closure of a Gisborne garden due to asbestos contamination has upset a volunteer, who dedicated more than 20 years of his life to working the soil there.

A swathe of challenges face the Tai Rāwhiti freshwater supply including climate change, scarcity and wastage.

An investigation into the death of a Gisborne dog at the hands of council staff has detailed the sorry state the animal was returned to its owners in.

The stress of "consultation fatigue" is being felt by tangata whenua, according to two Māori ward councillors who have spoken out at recent meetings.

A Gisborne district councillor has apologised to the mayor after criticising the council's approach to risk.

Public consultation will soon begin on a strategy to address the need for 5000 additional homes in Tai Rāwhiti by 2050.

Minutes for Gisborne District Council workshops, which are effectively held in secret, are not as readily available as indicated by the mayor.

A theatre group is "fed up" after a last-minute change in direction by Gisborne councillors left them with an uncertain future.