A man who slept in the branches of a 500-year-old kauri in protest of plans to axe the native tree says he's prepared to stay there for 'as long as it takes'.

Former Prime Minister Helen Clark has weighed in on the battle to stop a 500-year-old kauri from being chopped down in Auckland.

Contractors had been due to chop down the tree this morning but left saying they did not have the power to remove protesters.

A protest group of concerned Aucklanders has joined the outcry against two large wharf extensions by Ports of Auckland, which eventually wants to reclaim 3ha of seabed between the wharves.

Auckland mayor Len Brown's office has spent almost a quarter of a million dollars on polls and surveys - but won't say why, citing privacy reasons.

The Warriors are demanding the Auckland Council review their proposed stadium strategy, determined they won't be forced out of their Mt Smart home.

Jon Rennie and Nick Strauchan of Athfield Architects show off the new $7.8m Devonport Library.

Auckland Council officers were aware of big problems with an IT project for months before they informed Mayor Len Brown and councillors, official documents show.

Auckland mayor Len Brown and other local politicians have called for their pay to be reined in by the Government.

Auckland Grey Power has joined youth lobby group Generation Zero's push to cut major road projects and prioritise public transport in Auckland Council's new 10-year budget.

The railway tunnel will serve only a very small fraction of Auckland's population and at a huge cost.

Questions have been raised about Precinct Properties' planned $550 million 35-level Auckland tower.

Can you inquire to see what's happened to the little brass gable house that was situated on the edge of the Dominion Rd boundary of Potters Park?

A $2 motorway toll in Auckland will largely go to widen roads, not build better public transport and cycleways, a debate on transport issues was told last night.

Youth lobby group Generation Zero says Auckland Council's planned spending on new roads in its 10-year budget should be cut by $2 billion.

Conservatives leader Colin Craig says the party decided it would not stand in the Northland byelection because it did not want to split the centre-right vote and help Winston Peters.

Drains and water mains are the ultimate out of sight, out of mind assets.

A debate on the future of the Waitemata Harbour and whether more of the seabed will be reclaimed for port use has started got off to an acrimonious start.

The Auckland Council seems to be constantly surprised by decisions of its subordinate bodies.

Auckland Council and commercial landlord Precinct Properties have struck a deal to allow the City Rail Link tunnels to run beneath a $550 million, 36-level downtown office and shopping tower.

Wellington's barefooted Anglican Bishop Justin Duckworth has thrown his weight behind a campaign for a 'living wage' - recalibrated at $19.25 an hour.

There is strong opposition to a proposed Wellington super city, a survey has shown.

Hastings District Council finally pleads guilty over the death of a four-year-old boy who was run over by a tractor mower.

Auckland councillor and National Party member Linda Cooper has apologised after she called a man a "judgmental little c**k" on the Pride parade Facebook page.

Auckland's local politicians have labelled the Council's overseas postings to London and San Francisco an "outrage", while the mayor defends the decision.