Minister says conservation land needs to be protected from bulldozers and diggers.

Domestic violence incident escalated on West Coast.

Firefighters say they had a bit of a chuckle with they arrived and found the "fire".

Children's schoolwork is suffering as rising rents force more low-income families to move.

Westport woman Linda Fenn is locked in a battle with doctors over pain medication.

Five-hour standoff in West Coast town involved armed offenders squad and negotiators.

Neighbours refuse to let go of rooster, who has been waking man in early hours.

The great walk will be open to mountain bikers all year.

Mark Cropp has accepted an offer to undergo free laser tattoo removal.

Family of Taylor Marsters, 9, are "broken-hearted" after he died of an asthma attack.

The late-night exerciser was described by police as 'off his face'.

Man allegedly filmed by Christchurch homeowner denies being caught in act of burglary

In the fourth of a five-part series, we go to the extremities to gauge the state of rugby.

A mother's plea has been answered after her baby's blanket was stolen from a washing line.

Forest & Bird suspects the Government plans to open access to coal.

Legal action by Forest & Bird has prompted a U-turn over the proposed Te Kuha coal mine.

Leukaemia victim needs to take seven morphine tablets daily to alleviate pain.

MP Damien O'Connor seeks probe into claims against Westland Mayor Bruce Smith.

Police have suspended active searches for missing Westport mother Leanne Ryall.

Leanne Ryall left her Domett St home on Friday, was seen a few blocks away, and hasn't been seen since.

Westport woman Leanne Ryall was last seen at her home early yesterday morning.

For the first time in more than 60 years, a small-town New Zealand newspaper could not print.

A teenager who showed no remorse for assaulting five people, including a police officer, will spend the next eight months behind bars.

Forest & Bird has mounted a court challenge over a decision by the Buller District Council to allow an open-cast coalmine on 100ha of public reserve land behind Westport township.

An abandoned house has burnt down overnight in Westport.

Police say they have concerns for an elderly Nelson man who was due to arrive in Westport today, but has not been seen. Leslie Martin

The Local Government Commission's review of the structure of local government on the West Coast is a "complete waste of money", says Westland Mayor Bruce Smith.

A collision between his mountain bike and a tree means West Coast-Tasman MP Damien O'Connor won't be clocking up airpoints anytime soon.

Holcim is in confidential negotiations with prospective buyers of its Westport assets, says capital projects manager, Ken Cowie.

Westport police say they are making progress in identifying who knocked out a local publican and broke his nephew's jaw on Sunday morning.