Len Brown's move leaves the Prime Minister high and dry, writes Brian Rudman. If he refuses to play ball with the Mayor and advance the construction date, he'll be handing Labour a free hit

Auckland league fans have a chance to meet their heroes at league clubs across the city today, with all 16 NRL clubs being hosted by a local counterpart.

A berm in Ellerslie has been entered into a national landscaping competition as part of a vegetable, fruit and flower garden. It even has a beehive.

Mayor Len Brown sounds keener than ever, for obvious reasons, to see work start on the Auckland central rail link. He needs to be seen to be effective again.

PM John Key has rebuffed a $250m offer from Auckland Mayor Len Brown to kick-start the $2.86b City Rail Link, saying it's on track for 2020.

Concerned parents are asking councils to take action over playground equipment that gets so hot in summer it is burning children when they touch it.

Auckland councillors are being kept in the dark about the cost blowout of a review into Mayor Len Brown's affair with Bevan Chuang.

Bevan Chuang, the former mistress of Auckland mayor Len Brown, is keen to reapply for a position on the Auckland Council's ethnic advisory panel but is fearful of a mayoral snub.

State house tenants in many parts of Auckland will have to move, at least temporarily, as Housing New Zealand ramps up an aggressive programme of redeveloping some of its oldest and highest-value sites.

The cost of a review into Auckland Mayor Len Brown's affair with council adviser Bevan Chuang has reportedly risen to $250,000.

Two Auckland Council politicians are flouting council rules by planting flower beds on their berms.

'We have to get police to take their buckets.' Auckland Council wants more power to ban and penalise windscreen washers at intersections.

Auckland's 13 Maori tribes say they want to "change the face of Auckland" through infrastructure and housing developments.

Auckland Transport has quietly backed down on mowing berms, but is skimping on the quality of grass-cutting.

Auckland Mayor Len Brown got agitated when he was tackled on family values at his first Mayor in the Chair outing in Pukekohe since being embroiled in a sex scandal last October.

The choice facing the elite Act Party Board members, who meet tomorrow to start deciding on its new leader, is one of focusing on either survival or revival, writes Bryce Edwards.

National flags have long been deeply integrated into politics, writes Bryce Edwards.They can be a powerful force for patriotism and nationalism, but also for electoral advantage.

Auckland's economic prospects look the best in seven years, based on labour, housing construction and manufacturing activity.

Aucklanders have until the end of next month to lodge submissions on the city's new planning rulebook, or Unitary Plan, says Environment Court judge David Kirkpatrick.

Pacific Islanders need to rediscover their entrepreneurial spirit, says the new minister tasked with turning around their job and education prospects.

Mayor Brown has had another vision and is claiming public-private partnerships (PPPs) can relieve the burden on ratepayers.

David Cunliffe has sparked some big questions with his election year opening speech and 'Best Start' policy announcement, writes Bryce Edwards.

'Come to our bake sale,' said a member of a group trying to raise $140k for a court appeal against a $950k sewer tunnel project.

How do we know it's election year? Bryce Edwards teases out the tell-tale signs that politicians are keen for your vote - and it stars with kissing babies.

Expectations are rising for a settlement by Auckland Mayor Len Brown towards the $100,000-plus cost of a review into his extramarital affair to be made public.