Olympian and Auckland councillor Dick Quax has revealed he has throat cancer and credits his wife Roxanne for having him receive early treatment.

Anti-development protectionists lost fights at a beach north of Auckland and in Arch Hill this month.

Some bars' and restaurants' "happy hour" promotions will be outlawed under alcohol reforms which come into force next month.

Perhaps the letters editor publishes particularly stupid opinions for readers' entertainment, writes Bob Jones. Conspiracists always being a particular source of delight.

Auckland councillor Cameron Brewer wants a council review into Len Brown's affair with Bevan Chuang widened to investigate a trip the mayor made to Hong Kong.

'Yayyyyyy!!!!!!!' Luigi Wewege is clearly excited to announce his big news - he's engaged to a mystery brunette in the United States.

Mayor Len Brown makes great play of telling Auckland councillors to leave their politics at the door of city hall.

The National Government continues to have plenty of opportunities, successes, failures, and on-going difficulties to deal with, writes Bryce Edwards.

A Victorian homestead in Pt Chevalier is being temporarily removed from its site while its church owner seeks a resource consent to permanently remove it and construct a replica building.

A former mayor of Auckland writes an open letter to the leader of the Super City as he starts his second term.

To the extent the public took any interest in the recent local government elections, council debt levels were a common debating point, writes Bob Jones.

Bryce Edwards rounds up the must-read political items from the media and blogosphere over the last three days.

Conservative Party leader Colin Craig says there is not a mandate for the Government to sell further state-owned assets.

Bryce Edwards rounds up the must-read political items from the media and blogosphere over the last week.

A 27-year-old naval rating has been charged with the manslaughter of a trainee primary school teacher.

The saying that every vote counts rings true for Tracy Kirkley who has won a seat on the Henderson-Massey Local Board by one vote following a judicial recount.

The Government has warned that criminal charges could still be coming for officials who illegally increased rates and outraged ratepayers, despite a law change which legalised the rate hikes.

The future of a Victorian timber cottage used as a community church is uncertain after it was taken from its foundations and put on a trailer, only for the council to halt the work.

A campaign to get New Zealanders to embrace their biggest city as a place worth visiting starts today under the slogan "The Show Never Stops".

The Auckland mayoral office has confirmed today that Mayor Len Brown took a trip to Hong Kong in January this year at the invitation of the Hong Kong Government.

The Prime Minister says he is prepared to talk to the Conservative Party in order to stay in power.

A financially troubled council body has splashed out about $41,500 on a party for 1700 staff and family at the Cloud.

It all started at a family gathering where we suggested that, since he knew so little about his ancestors, my father, Nevill Lynch, must be descended from convicts.

Editorial: Mayor Len Brown's pursuit of a policy that would see the Auckland Council pay the "living wage" to its staff has drawn a variety of objections.

Bryce Edwards' wrap up of the different online opinion pieces and articles on this week's 'Roast Buster' controversy.

Auckland Councillor Cameron Brewer says Mayor Len Brown is "jumping the gun" by proposing to lift all council staff to a living wage before knowing its effects on services or trimming $100,000-plus salaries.

Councils are being blamed for the high cost of building New Zealand houses, ahead of the role played by manufacturers.