Otago

The government has been accused of a "blatant disregard for transparency" as unanswered questions continue to mount on Dunedin hospital.

When Dunedin man Gary West's home was destroyed in a fire, he feared he had lost everything connecting him to his late wife.

A better crop of Central Otago cherries should result in higher profits for growers this season.

More than 20 firefighters and ambulance staff attended the blaze.

Swimmers in Dunedin and Tauranga are paying top dollar, with pool entrance fees in the cities the priciest for the country.

A handful of crashes have slowed traffic throughout the country as many return home from holiday travels.

Wānaka's Luca Harrington has been crowned champion at the FIS Freeski Big Air World Cup in Klagenfurt, Austria.

This morning, a police spokesperson said a threat had been made by phone, specific to the flight due to depart Auckland Airport for Dunedin at 5.40pm.

Police want parents to know where their children are and what they are doing after 300 young people were involved in multiple fights in Dinosaur Park in Wānaka.

Test results show high levels of bacteria near the Lake Hāwea Holiday Park and at Otokia Creek at Brighton Beach.

Emily Rutherford says the app keeps reporting the temperature in her part of Central Otago is up to 5C cooler than MetService predicts - and even that is underestimating the summer heat.

Multiple investigations have been launched into allegations of animal cruelty on a farm leased by former NBC Today show host Matt Lauer.

Mastodon, Slayer and Whitechapel are not among the usual clientele for the average New Zealand tradie.

Much of the country can look forward to brighter skies this weekend, with temperatures into the 30s expected for Central Otago for Saturday.

A Dunedin man with a learning disability is spending Christmas Day cooped up inside a motel, as the date to move back into his flood-damaged house keeps being pushed back. Video

The log appeared to have been deposited by the river during the flood, and sat on a chain which held the stormwater flap gate open.

Another 20 people were injured, two critically, in the crash on 19 December.

Police are warning people to drive carefully this holiday season after four people have died on the roads in the past 24 hours. Audio

The men face several charges including drug supply, drug possession and unlawful firearm possession.