Jane Hastings is heading across the ditch to take on the role of chief operating officer for Event Hospitality and Entertainment in Sydney.

The Bay of Plenty's biggest cruise ship season yet has almost drawn to a close with one last ship expected to berth in Tauranga next month.

An estimated two million tonnes of rock and rubble have collapsed from the north wall of Waihi's Martha open pit gold mine - further delaying plans to re-enter.

COMMENT: Maybe the biggest threat to the Auckland housing problem is simply waiting for Australia to come right, and for normal service to resume.

Up to one in four property sales in parts of provincial NZ are now to Aucklanders, with many buyers forced from city as prices spiral beyond their means.

A $23 million annual increase in development contributions collected by councils means the Government's reforms have failed, an opposition MP claims.