Market view statistics during the gastro outbreak showed about an $80,000 drop in retail and hospitality spend.

For better or worse, National's failure to raise importance of economic considerations clearly underscores the public's bottom line.

Homeowners will probably be able to build a fence, carport or more without the need for a resource consent under major reforms to planning laws.

Fonterra says it sets itself high environmental standards despite being fined $362,000 in two separate prosecutions for Resource Management Act breaches.

Chorus has called on the government to enact changes to the RMA to speed the fibre rollout.

Building height restrictions and NIMBY attitudes in inner Auckland are standing in the way of an response to Auckland's housing shortage, the Reserve Bank governor says.

The RMA Knights who say no have been a shadowy tribe until now and it's been hard to pin much damage to the economy on them, writes Bernard Hickey.

The strength of Nick Smith's language in his savaging of the RMA prompted immediate concern in the environmental lobby he was trying to manufacture a crisis where there wasn't one.

What took hold of Nick Smith when he claimed the Resource Management Act added $30 billion to housing costs and stopped 40,000 new houses in the past decade?

Got a problem? Then blame it on the Resource Management Act, writes John Armstrong. "Nick Smith is using the RMA as a smokescreen. The Auckland housing crisis is really a crisis of insatiable demand."

The Government has spelled out its masterplan for reversing skyrocketing house prices across the country - but will the 10-point plan work?

Government has outlined its plans to dramatically reform the Resource Management Act in an effort to combat the skyrocketing price of housing in NZ.

Property developers say the failure to quickly resolve Auckland's housing crisis is not their fault - lack of infrastructure is one of the biggest impediments to more building.

Long-promised law changes designed to make housing in New Zealand more affordable will be unveiled today as the Government makes its second attempt at reforming the Resource Management Act.

A suggestion by the Finance Minister councils are increasing poverty through poor planning rules that drive housing costs higher has been labelled 'simplistic'.

Property and construction bosses want the Government to reform the Resource Management Act, an extension of Special Housing Areas, the creation of more affordable housing in Auckland and Christchurch and perhaps the introduction of some form of capital ga

The Government has just set best-practice guidelines for fracking in various parts of the country.

New Act leader Jamie Whyte will today announce that Act wants the entire 826-page Resource Management Act to be dumped.

An Auckland man jailed for serial polluting crimes must turn up at court on Friday to begin his prison sentence after losing an appeal against his conviction.

Compensation for homeowners whose properties are acquired for public works will be increased under changes announced today.

Forest and Bird says efforts to rehabilitate the Stockton Plateau after open-cast coalmining has missed the point, with bright green grass sown rather than restoring the natural tussock landscape.

The Waitakere Ranges Protection Society celebrates its 40th anniversary, knowing its battle to keep a wilderness on Auckland's doorstep is still far from over.

For nearly 20 years, solo mum Ginny Walker has had to keep a watchful eye on her son Jarrod, almost 24 hours a day.

The Law Society is urging the Government to drop plans to give itself extraordinary powers to change the Resource Management Act in order to establish "special housing areas" intended to fast track affordable housing.