For nearly 100 years politicians have been talking about an inner city rail link. But for 100 years that's all it's been: talk, writes Rodney Hide.

John Key's intention to fast-track the $1.25 billion East-West Connection and make it a project of national significance has been welcomed by transport and infrastructure groups.

The Prime Minister's reading of the politics of the issue is an implicit tribute to the effort of the departing mayor, Len Brown, as it was three years ago.

Britomart station will hit train handling capacity this year. It can handle only 20 trains an hour, writes Len Brown. The City Rail Link allows us to increase this to 48 trains an hour.

More than 1000 people have signed a mother's petition urging councils to provide shade at playgrounds to protect kids from skin cancer and heat-related risks.

Abusive library patrons mixing books, booze and brawling are partly to blame for more than 200 trespass notices issued in Dunedin since 2011.

A stately home with a CV of $2.6 million that stood for nearly a century in Remuera Rd has been demolished by its new owner and turned into a parking lot.

It's not just height, it's density. In the widespread mixed housing suburban zones all a developer now needs to secure is a quarter of an acre, writes Cameron Brewer.

Auckland Council's plan to charge all ratepayers each time rubbish bins are collected has been delayed.

Opotiki Packing and Coolstorage shareholders have approved a capital-raising plan that includes the Maori Trustee, Te Tumu Paeroa, and Bay of Plenty Regional Council's investment arm each taking a....

As an award-winning architect, Julie Stout knows the rules which bind local bureaucrats.

A $157 million Super City computer system has a potentially "catastrophic" risk, says Auditor General Lyn Provost.

COMMENT: Are authorities able to monitor and oversee the hundreds of building projects across Auckland, asks Lucy Walker.

Xero chief executive "incredibly proud" of NZ managing director Victoria Crone, who has resigned from her role to make a bid for the Auckland mayoralty.

Climate change may still seem a distant threat, but a "Super El Nino" summer is already evident.

One of New Zealand's biggest aged-care providers is believed to have been picked by Auckland Council to take over managing the council's 1412 pensioner flats.

Heavy hint that popular clothing chains Zara and Uniqlo will be part of huge Auckland development.

Auckland business boss Victoria Crone is not the rockstar mayoral candidate the right is after, says centre-right mayoral contender Mark Thomas.

The moment Auckland mayor Len Brown's executive assistant ran over a pedestrian in the CBD was a "split-second thing" that she will not lose her licence over, a judge ruled.

Xero's Victoria Crone says she will announce next week if she'll be running for the Auckland mayoralty.

Speculation is rife the Prime Minister will bring back former cabinet minister to sort out mess at Corrections.

Rob Campbell, once one of the sharpest young minds in the trade union movement, has kept a lower profile since his thinking changed radically in the 1980s.

Growing numbers of Kiwis risk becoming homeless in old age because of falling home ownership rates, rising rents and static housing subsidies, the Salvation Army says.

Salvation Army volunteers are bracing themselves for a bumper Christmas - of assistance to families facing a struggle to keep afloat through the season of goodwill.

Auckland Council has agreed to pay $15 million towards the $60 million to $70 million cost of restoring the heritage St James Theatre in Queen St.

What's the role of Auckland Council? Is it, as Mayor Len Brown claims, to help play a part solving the problems of the world such as climate change?

COMMENT: Remember the Lorax? Once that green space has gone, it has gone for ever, writes Roger Hall.

All the money spent and work being done by the council and groups to restore native wildlife is a complete waste of time if we don't manage the number one problem - cats, writes Gareth Morgan.