Bay Of Plenty

Six-storey buildings could be permitted after the recommendations of an independent hearing panel were rejected.

"It is an absolute disgrace we have infrastructure that has failed," one local says.

A clean-up effort is under way with people warned to stay away from the area.

The two-time Olympic gold medalist will have to beat out a number of people - and his own uncle - for the top job in Tauranga. Audio

A section of State Highway 5 near Tapapa in the Bay of Plenty is closed after a crash.

The champion rower says he would bring accounting and financial management to the job.

Tauranga has a population of more than 130,000, but only 14 people have put their hand up to stand in the elections so far, with a week until nominations close.

An applicant has challenged questions about depression, mental health and sick leave asked by a Z petrol station - so where's the line?. Audio

He wants to know how police are adequately staffed, when they're telling a man's family they don't have resources to investigate his disappearance.

WorkSafe alerted officials that it was running out of money to fund its prosecution over the deadly Whakaari/White Island disaster a month before the trial began last year.

Western Bay of Plenty households face paying an extra $300 to $350 per year under the council's long-term plan proposal.

A prominent Bay of Plenty farming family is giving up 100 hectares of farmland that has served them for 60 years.

A multi-year research project aims to find out the risks from two Bay of Plenty offshore island volcanoes: Tūhua / Mayor Island and Whakaari / White Island

A teen accused of stabbing another girl with a knife at Mount Maunganui's Bayfair Shopping Centre has made her second court appearance.

The musician says it is "a really exciting time" for the city and says residents are over having commissioners in place. Audio

Local runner Michael Voss has won his fourth Rotorua marathon, while Debbie Donald took out the women's race.

Police believe people may have videoed an assault at a Mount Maunganui shopping centre that hospitalised a woman and left shoppers stunned.

A youth has been taken into custody, while the victim is in serious condition, police said tonight.

Tracy Watson has repaired the same fence over and over times.