Stories by Tess Brunton

Pre-Covid-19, there were more than 80 i-SITEs dotted around the country, but the pandemic hit them hard, and not all survived. But tourism leaders say they're still important.

Gore residents say they're sick of childish behaviour from their elected representatives, as councillors try to oust their mayor. Audio

More than 1500 travel delegates are in Christchurch for the country's biggest tourism business event.

The national airline is planning a multibillion-dollar investment in its fleet, capacity and marketing over the next five years.

More than 1500 travel delegates from around the world are descending on Ōtautahi for the country's biggest tourism business event.

Central Otago residents say they are tired of feeling unnerved and being constantly on alert with wild pigs running amok around St Bathans.

Summer tourist numbers have bounced back to about half of what they were before Covid-19 as Aotearoa marked the first summer with the border back open.

Otago landowners are fighting to stop their properties from being rezoned, saying tougher flood hazard rules could make them uninsurable and unsellable.

The government has forked out an extra $10 million for the new Dunedin Hospital rebuild just months after making controversial cuts, but has ruled out further large redesigns.

As cyclone-hit communities rebuild their lives, pests have been making the most of the chaos, destruction and abandoned homes.

More Queenstown businesses are looking to buy accommodation for their staff, with the rental shortage causing some employees to leave before their first day.

People in Queenstown are resorting to living in cars, tents, hostels and couch surfing as rentals are in very short supply. Audio

A Hawke's Bay man hasn't let Cyclone Gabrielle put him off from buying a local store in a hard hit rural area.

When Annabel Mason co-founded the Hawke's Bay Cyclone Laundry Network, she had no idea how quickly it would snowball.

The Hawke's Bay community is getting tails wagging at an animal evacuation centre, with residents arriving in droves to walk displaced dogs.

A chance encounter with a sea lion and its pup sparked a passion for Janet Ledingham, who now spends her days documenting one of the rarest sea lion species in the world.

Billy MacDonald had already evacuated neighbours in rapidly rising floodwaters by the time an alert was sent warning residents of the danger. Audio

Residents say it's like a bomb has gone off in the area with cars upside down, roads washed away and debris thrown everywhere after Cyclone Gabrielle ripped through the region.

Heartbreaking stories of people who have lost everything are emerging as the devastation Cyclone Gabrielle brought upon Hawke's Bay becomes clearer.

Ballooning costs mean it might soon have fewer beds, operating theatres and MRI units than promised.

Te Anau businesses are bracing for more staff shortages as student workers return to their studies in the coming weeks.

One pilot took evasive actions to avoid hitting the other at Queenstown Airport last month.

Backpacker bookings are looking healthy but the industry is worried it is on the back foot following multiple closures and ongoing staffing shortages.

Gore district's new mayor Ben Bell has lost a bid for his own executive assistant.

An Ōtepoti museum has returned cultural artefacts first taken from Indigenous Australians more than a century ago.