Six major retailers are decrying the unitary plan, accusing Auckland Council of trying to design shops and force everyone on to public transport.

Red tape is about to take the spice out of the ethnic food served up to thousands of Aucklanders each year, say some festival operators.

A new rulebook that sets out to build high-rise apartments and turn rural land into housing is becoming a tough ask for Auckland Mayor Len Brown and his deputy Penny Hulse.

House buyers and sellers are more protected from dodgy agent dealings than before.

When Gaylene Mackereth left her home in Howick on a trip to the beach with her granddaughter recently, she paid a bit more attention than usual to the houses they passed.

With more than 50,000 people living in Auckland's CBD, it's no longer just the retailers and the businesses being inconvenienced, writes Brian Rudman.

Auckland house prices are predicted to rise a further 12 per cent over the next year, with the nationwide average jumping almost $40,000 by the end of the year.

A former Takapuna Grammar student, who migrated from Malaysia 12 years ago, has just completed one of this year's biggest commercial property deals.

Runners say an Auckland City Council decision to prohibit the use of the Hillary Trail in West Auckland for an off-road running event is bizarre and makes no sense.

As they did on the afternoon of March 17, tens of thousands of Aucklanders take to Facebook and Twitter to express their amazement that their seemingly quake-free city has had a rumble.

Auckland Council and the Government will create a working party to look at urgent issues relating to the city's housing crisis.

The Government will drive up Auckland's red hot housing market if it fails to ratify a new planning rulebook for the Super City, says a business lobby group.

Auckland Council has voted to stay in an organisation that calls itself the voice of commercial property - after rejecting pleas that citizens see a conflict of interest.

Housing Minister Nick Smith appears to be taking a more conciliatory approach to Auckland's housing crisis as he prepares to meet Mayor Len Brown to discuss the issue today.

There will be few new faces around the Auckland Council chamber after October's local body elections, with most councillors standing for re-election and little sign of strong contenders to oust the incumbents.

A fee for tapping into the waterworks in parts of Auckland has gone up by 900 per cent in the past two years - from less than $850 to almost $8000.

Damien Grant writes: By law, Watercare has to keep the overall costs of water at minimum levels.

"Who wins when the Auckland Council and the Government do not agree on the approach to affordable housing?" asks Mai Chen. "Or when Auckland's unitary plan should take effect?"

Brazil, Nepal and Finland are among far-flung countries visited by Super City staff, who have racked up a $10.5 million domestic and international travel bill in two years.

Ask Phoebe Ratepayers in Rodney District are charged a levy of $89.34 a year, allegedly to support the transfer stations in our area whether we use them or not.

The towns of Pukekohe and Warkworth and communities served by the Northwestern Motorway are among rural areas earmarked to contribute to Auckland's population.

A battle over whether job growth should come at the expense of the South Auckland countryside will go to a hearing by Auckland Council-appointed planning commissioners next month or early May.

Almost half of Auckland's small and medium-sized firms expect a lift in sales in the coming year, research suggests.

In a bid to cut down unnecessary hospital admissions, five Auckland organisations have set up a temporary 'safe house' for out-of-control revellers.

Fixing Auckland's housing is too significant a challenge to the entire economy to let it get caught up in petty politicking.