Dairy giant Fonterra has unveiled a pilot scheme to put free milk into Northland primary schools.

A poll for the Michael Fay-led consortium trying to buy the Crafar farms shows an "overwhelming desire for the govt to stop in and stop the sale" to the would-be Chinese buyer, Pengxin International.

Fonterra chairman Henry van der Heyden is to step down next year after a decade in the job.

Average prices of dairy products resumed their slide in Fonterra's latest auction, the ninth decline in the past 10 sales and the first since the company cut its forecast 2012 payout.

Auckland's mayor is ready to up the pace for action on the transformation of the city writes Fran O'Sullivan.