In the high-stakes game of oil exploration New Zealand is frontier country.

A substantial petrol price rise is expected to increase the cost of living for earthquake-hit Christchurch residents in the coming days.

Prices in Fonterra's latest online auction have been pushed to record levels but recent volatility means picking the top of the cycle is proving tricky.

A proposed Pike River mine stabilisation plan doesn't allow for the recovery of the miners and won't guarantee the future of the mine. The Receivers of Pike River Coal Limited presented their mine stabilisation plan to the Commissioner of P

A proposed Pike River mine stabilisation plan doesn't allow for the recovery of the miners and won’t guarantee the future of the mine.

Labour leader Phil Goff has accused John Key of "passing the buck" on whether to permanently seal the Pike River coal mine. Receivers have been given until 5pm today to come up with a plan for stabilising the mine.

Sealing the Pike River mine could see vital evidence lost, the lawyer for the families of those killed says.

The Pike River mine will be sealed and there is little or no chance of the bodies of 29 men killed being recovered in the near future, says Prime Minister John Key. He said it was "not an issue of money or time or commitment."

Closing the Pike River coal mine and handing the land back to the government is the worst-case scenario, according to the company's receiver.

Petrol prices are likely to remain stable over 2011 but will slowly creep up, say analysts.

The Pike River mine will not be handed over to receivers while the operation to recover the bodies of the 29 workers continues, police say.

Families of the 29 miners who died at Pike River Coal mine have been given a chance to spend Christmas near the bodies of their loved ones after police offered to take them to the mine on December 25.

A 20-tonne nitrogen generator has arrived to aid the operation to recover 29 bodies from Pike River Coal mine.

As a new machine arrives to help recovery efforts at Pike River, receivers say they may not be able to claim a full $100m insurance payout to reimburse creditors of Pike River Coal.

The Govt is considering fast tracking the expansion of coal mining operations on the West Coast.

The Government has agreed to work on an economic stimulus package for the West Coast.