The market has proven itself absolutely useless at housing the poor, the mentally ill, and the elderly - and anyone else who hasn't got $50k in the bank, writes Dita De Boni.

A fund that lends money to women interest-free is in the unexpected position of not having enough borrowers.

Mary Barry is a tiny voice in a battle over the future of Auckland, fought between powerful developers with expensive lawyers and volunteer community organisations.

Why make leaving harder than it has to be? People are thrilled that you showed up, but no one really cares that you’re leaving.

New Zealand's roll call of sole parents on benefits has dropped again - this time to the lowest level in a quarter-century.

A recent cartoon shows a couple arriving at a dinner party. One of them hands the host a small box with the explanation, "We didn't bring a bottle; we got you these tablets for mild alcoholism instead".

A leading fashion designer's comment that clothes "look better on skinny people" could place undue pressure on women, a psychotherapist says.

Like barristers, I hand write everything: it enables clearer expression. It's a life-long habit which I enjoy in a tactile sense.

Catriona MacLennan writes: Low family incomes and high rents are the two key sources of poverty for my legal clients. The third is huge debt associated with car purchases.

Lesley Elliott's received the Westpac Women of Influence Supreme Award - I wish I'd got her message when I was a teenager in schooll, writes Deborah Hill Cone.

There's a lot of talk these days about the work/life balance and for many, smartphones and cloud technology could mean the end of the all day job, writes Matt Heath.

An eating disorders expert has slammed the use of a skinny mannequin at clothing store Glassons, which sparked controversy because its ribs are showing.

A carve-up of the housing portfolio in the new Cabinet has alerted the country to a radical reform the Government has in mind for state housing.

A pianist who was homeless in Hollywood for a year and a half says he never lacked for company on the streets.

Prime Minister John Key has split housing issues across three ministers as National speeds up its shift toward developing social housing by private providers and reducing reliance on state....

The number of people seeking help for gambling problems has hit an all-time high but that is being hailed as a sign that those in need are better accessing services.

Children who are given antibiotics in the first two years of their lives are at greater risk of becoming obese in early childhood.

One of the main trends coming through from this year's pay survey is the lack of women in the list of top-paid chief executives. So where are they?

Deborah Hill Cone writes: Are you ready? It's September 29 and ta-dah! Today is the day! I've decided I'm going to be a better person.

Thousands of students are travelling long distances across Auckland to avoid their local schools - and there's concern about the flow-on effects.

On Monday I made several thousand dollars on paper. The share prices of electricity companies surged following the election.

Five things for business to take on board while John Key relishes his victory and forms his next Government.

The country has had six years of being run like a very large company, and tomorrow is the referendum on whether most people feel that's the right way to go about building prosperity, or doomed to stunt us as a nation.

Dear John and David. Please forgive the first-name familiarity. I'm older than you are so it doesn't feel terribly out of order.