Structural engineers should work with conservation architects and architectural historians to ensure that no quake-damaged heritage buildings in Christchurch are demolished in haste, a heritage campaigner says.

Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says the focus on heritage buildings after the devastating earthquake in Christchurch is 'unacceptable' at a time when thousands of residents' lives have been disrupted.

The Ombudsman has launched an investigation into whether an Auckland councillor knew she already had another job when she received a redundancy payout of more than $200,000.

Hundreds of millions of dollars are being spent rebuilding Eden Park.

Aucklanders could be penalised for not recycling as part of a move to streamline how the city's waste is collected.

The Maori Party today continued to hound Local Government Minister Rodney Hide over his attitude to Auckland Council's Maori Statutory Board, asking in Parliament what he meant when he said yesterday it was "inherently divisive".

Conflict over funding for Auckland Council's Maori board shows why it should never have been legally required, Local Government Minister Rodney Hide says, after Dr Pita Sharples called for his resignation.

Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples has called for urgent negotiations to repair a growing rift between Auckland Council and its Maori Statutory Board, and blasted Local Government Minister Rodney Hide.

False information from councillors is behind a dispute over funding for Auckland's new Maori Statutory Board, its chairman has alleged.