The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has released its report on 140 cities, and for the fifth year in a row Auckland rounded out the top 10.

Land slips on Maungawhau/Mt Eden have prompted a call for the Government to help ratepayers with urgent restoration work on Auckland's volcanic cones.

Auckland ratepayers face a bill of about $40 million to prevent part of the downtown seawall between Princes and Marsden wharves failing in a moderate earthquake.

Epsom election candidates faced off at a public debate last night, with one promising to name a convicted sex offender with name suppression under parliamentary privilege.

Plans to install a state house as a piece of art on Auckland's waterfront have been called a waste of money, offensive and plain stupid.

More than $2 million a year will be spent to almost double the economic spinoff from Auckland's business events sector to $430 million annually in the next decade.

Leaked images of the secretive $1.5 million sculpture planned at the end of Queens Wharf show a simple, two-storey weatherboard state house.

A subdivision for 60 houses at Helensville is being criticised by youth lobby group Generation Zero as a bad case of urban sprawl and costly for ratepayers.

Despite more than a year of accords, law changes, unitary plans and talk, Auckland's housing consents are still lagging behind its population growth, writes Bernard Hickey.

A French urban planning expert is in New Zealand this week, courtesy of think-tank the New Zealand Initiative.

Former All Black Marc Ellis has got offside with a neighbour at the prestigious gated community of Matiatia Estate on Waiheke Island.

Many Aucklanders believe the best way to deal with looming budget cuts by the Auckland Council is to reduce staff and salaries, according to the latest Herald-DigiPoll survey.

A rich lister, a high profile QC, a prominent media couple and an arts doyen are locking horns over the future of Franklin Rd, which attracts hordes of visitors to its street display of Christmas lights.

A parking warden was admitted to hospital after being attacked on duty in Auckland - and the assault was so bad, it kept him in hospital for five nights.

One of the justifications for creating the Super City was that it would hasten the end of the planning silo mentality that hog-tied Auckland.

The western side of Queens Wharf could become open space as part of plans for the downtown waterfront area.

Auckland lines company Vector says it is still assessing the financial cost of last week's storm.

Auckland Mayor Len Brown hailed his first 10-year budget in 2012 as the foundation block to transform Auckland once and for all.

A plan to change Quay St from a car-dominated road into a waterfront boulevard is back on the table with Auckland Council seeking expressions of interest from designers.

Finances for the plan to create the world's most 'liveable' city are so parlous, it appears, that to fund what Auckland needs Brown may need to break a promise, writes Paul Little.

Mayor Len Brown has carefully avoided this moment the whole of his first term, but sometime over the next 12 months, he's going to have to stand up and be counted.

A simple Unitary Plan of self-determination is appealing, but land use choices are riddled with unintended consequences, writes Geoff Cooper.

Aucklanders are rebelling at Mayor Len Brown's "black budget", which targets core services such as libraries and parks to pay for the $2.86 billion city rail link.

The chickens have come home to roost for the Len Brown-led Auckland Council after four years of big spending and debt-fuelled budgets.

Cutting back funding for park maintenance, reducing library hours and scrapping inorganic rubbish collections are among options being considered by Auckland Council.

Aucklanders will be given clear choices, including tolls and congestion charges, to pay for big transport projects in a black budget being partly unveiled today.

The sale of synthetic drugs could be banned in poor suburbs such as Otara, Mangere and Henderson and small residential shopping centres under a new proposal.