The New Zealand population aged 65 and over has doubled since the early 1980s and is likely to double again by 2040, Statistics New Zealand says.

Auckland is unique because few cities can claim to be both a world-class urban centre and a beautiful garden city with so much scope for outdoor activities, writes Sudhir Rajagopalan.

Natalie Jackson's presentation about ageing to Local Government NZ's annual conference in Hamilton this week was a sobering look into the future, says Bernard Hickey.

The idea that New Zealand has become one of the most unequal societies in the developed world is just not supported by the data, writes Brian Fallow.

A Hamilton radio personality - sick of his fiance being leered at and heckled - wants action to address antisocial behaviour in the central city's plaza.

The news on the population front sounds bad: birth rates are not dropping as fast as expected.

More Australians are coming to New Zealand and fewer Kiwis are crossing the Tasman in the latest sign that the grass may not be greener across the Ditch.

The number of abortions performed has fallen to its lowest rate in almost 20 years,

Barring some unforeseen catastrophe, we certainly will grow from 1.5 million citizens to over 2.5 million by mid century, writes Graeme Easte.

An issue at the heart of Auckland's draft unitary plan is whether the density of housing should be raised in parts of the city.

New Zealanders are beginning to realise the Australian dream is not so perfect and the grass may in fact be starting to become greener over here.

Seattle's an economic engine, a leader in sustainability and a hub for culture and creativity, writes Dr Ann Bartos and John Mauro. It could easily be Auckland.

We have a huge growth challenge in our city, but with that challenge we have an equally great opportunity, writes Auckland mayoral candidate Joe Palino.

The draft plan and the housing accord have led to fear, uncertainty and distrust in both the process and in those promulgating the plan, writes Christine Rose.

Editorial: Naturally enough, the Government was keen to put the entire blame for what happened on "politicking" by Labour and the Greens.

Auckland Council's draft Unitary Plan is under attack as people engage with its implications for their backyards and neighbourhoods, writes Joel Cayford. The question confronting city planners and councillors should be how to fix the plan,

Sections of 300sq m are still bigger than we need for a good-sized three-to-four bedroom house, and way too big for a terrace house, writes David Gibbs.

Pacific health experts are calling for a quota on the amount of fatty food exported to the Pacific Islands, where heart disease, diabetes and obesity are the norm.

Nearly 40 per cent of immigrants from China gaining New Zealand permanent residence last year were aged 50 or over, sparking calls for younger migrants.

As a shell-shocked Auckland grapples with how it will cope with a population growth of one million people, the people of Matamata-Piako have the opposite problem.

For most parents of primary-aged children, their school's sense of community, of "family", is vital.

Auckland will be expected to accommodate a million extra residents over the next 30 years, with few plans for new schools, hospitals, courts and prisons. Big super-schools and robocops could provide an answer.

Already-full schools face being made to cram in more students as the Government struggles to cope with the growth in Auckland's population.

Hurrah for the news that more and more New Zealanders are cutting short their OE to return to the (currently brown) grass of home, writes Dita De Boni.

Auckland's universities are spending hundreds of millions of dollars on new buildings, transforming not only their campuses but the shape of the city they serve.