Police should not have twice Tasered a drunk West Coast man, authority rules.

Actor and film director Ian Mune slammed the Government today as he joined protesters at the Pike River Mine entrance.

Hundreds of tourists are milling around downtown Greymouth at weekends and evenings.

The West Coast has held on to its dubious record as the wettest place in New Zealand, albeit in the Southern Alps.

Motorists travelling between the West Coast and Canterbury today were urged to go through Lewis Pass after an early morning fire at

Alpine Pure last year renewed its consents with the West Coast Regional Council, and has applied to do the same with the Westland District Council.

New alcohol rules imposed on the Kumara Nuggets race meeting on January 14 have resulted in a sting in the tail for punters.

A laser light was pointed at a trans-Tasman jet flying over Greymouth last evening.

DoC says there is significant arsenic, mercury and cyanide contamination of the soil at the Alexander River mine site.

A 77-year-old man suffered suspected fractured ribs when he was knocked off his push bike in Kilgour Road, Greymouth, this morning.

After extensive fire damage the Greymouth fishing boat Te Aroha has risen from the ashes and is back trawling off the West Coast.

There was a record downpour in Auckland, a tornado in Taranaki and "quake lights" above Wellington. Oh, and 2016 was likely also New Zealand's hottest year on record.

Pike River protestors have been told to move on and remove the gates they put up to block Solid Energy.

Runanga School has canned school camps and all outings for pupils in 2017 while it reviews education outside the classroom (EOTC) activities.

Hokitika woman Lisa Tumahai yesterday stepped into the top role of the billion-dollar Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu.

Environmental Protection Authority report finds a number of incidents on the West Coast including one where someone removed signs when baits were still toxic.

The Government today appointed a crown manager to the polytechnic, citing a significant financial deficit and declining student numbers.

Prime Minister Bill English has agreed to meet with the Pike River families to discuss a new plan to re-enter the coal mine.

Solid Energy's attempts to seal Pike River mine will be met with a road block after the owners of the access road gave the victim's families legal control of the road.

After Jake Millar's dad died in the Fox Glacier plane crash, the 15-year-old wrote to Prime Minister John Key asking for his advice.

A Greymouth man wanted by police for breach of bail lost control of his vehicle at Taylorville late last night while trying to evade police.

West Coast Fish and Game have come to the aid of the Paringa Salmon Farm and cafe, which lost as many as 13,000 salmon after intruders tampered with the water supply.

A licence to fish for whitebait, much like the Fish and Game sports fishing licence, has been suggested as one way of managing the fishery.

A pair of overdue Canterbury trampers had a lucky escape from predicted bad weather last evening after their delayed arrival at the

Solid Energy has reiterated its decision not to re-enter the Pike River mine on day 23 of the protests.

The Paparoa National Park Management Plan has been approved, paving the way for the creation of the Pike 29 great walk and mountain bike track.

Solid Energy launches a PR offensive to outline why Pike River Mine cannot be re-entered and must be sealed.

Pike River Mine protesters ramped up their action this morning, fired up after a frustrating meeting with Solid Energy management in Greymouth yesterday.

A Greymouth man who told a German tourist that he would supply him with cannabis was convicted in the Greymouth District Court yesterday of obtaining money by deception - and ordered to pay the money back.

Pike River families say a meeting with Solid Energy's new boss over re-entering the mine was "insulting".