Auckland Museum is being touted as a green example for other city organisations after it succeeded in slashing its carbon footprint by 30 per cent in just two years.

Large parts of the country's building stock will be off-limits for disabled people under a proposal to trim the cost of upgrading thousands of earthquake-prone buildings, advocacy groups have warned.

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.

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.

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

We rate how Len Brown has fared on his 2010 election pledges.

In the months ahead Aucklanders can sample the city's vibrant cultures, writes Alexia Santamaria.

"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.

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.

Aucklanders are now able to go online and discover how their own home and neighbourhoods are affected by the new masterplan, writes Brian Rudman.

A property developer who has copped flak for proposed apartments at Milford hopes Auckland's Unitary Plan will provide more certainty.

The days of the Takapuna Beach Holiday Park on the North Shore of Auckland may be numbered.

The fate of the Takapuna Beach Holiday Park on the North Shore of Auckland will be decided by a panel this evening.

Auckland Council says the Government should scrap GST on affordable housing instead of looking to trim council growth levies on developers.

The Government is becoming increasingly heavy-handed over Auckland's housing shortage, with talk of a new Crown agency to free up more land.