Otago

Extreme fire danger forecast has prompted a total fire ban in central Otago from today, Fire and Emergency says.

A decision on the fate of Treble Cone skifield near Wanaka remains unclear, after the Commerce Commission pushed back its decision deadline.

Spring gardeners are being warned to take care while handling potting mix and compost following the death of a Dunedin man.

Otago is the latest region to receive a major injection for the Provincial Growth Fund in a bid to revitalise the rail system, the Dunedin waterfront and bring more jobs.

Nearly $20 million has been earmarked to help get Dunedin's KiwiRail workshop back on track, while the city's ambitious waterfront redevelopment has received a green light for more funding.

Surprising archeological finds have been made during shallow excavation work at the old Cadbury factory site in Dunedin.

A Dunedin grandfather of 11 was going to get medication for a neighbour, when he was killed by an errant driver, a court has heard.

A Gore man who allegedly rammed a police car and chased a police officer with a tomahawk now faces an extra charge of attempted murder.

The Overseas Investment Office has warned it may yet force a company to divest from a Dunedin company because some of its major investors have been involved in a Brazilian corruption scandal.

The Dunedin City Council is seeking developers' interest to turn an inner-city carpark into a high quality hotel.

South Island ski fields had a lean winter for snowfall, but are planning for warmer winters due to climate change.

The pilot killed in a microlight crash in central Otago more than two years ago had let his passenger take the controls, an accident report shows.

Eight trampers forced to hunker down in blizzard conditions in the Southern Alps overnight, knew the weather was forecast to turn bad.

After new bus services and routes in Wellington turned into a debacle, calls are being made to overhaul how public transport is managed by councils.

Southern District Health Board is welcoming the announcement that a new hospital will be built in Queenstown.

Two people have critical injuries after a car hit a power pole in Dunedin this evening, and firefighters are still helping to cut one free from the car.

Witnesses are describing a Dunedin student party where a woman died and two others were seriously injured as "standing room only".

There's been a sharp rise in measles cases in Otago-Southland but the Southern District Health Board says it needs to prioritise the use of the vaccine. Audio

The coroner has found an Otago man who died from a bowel obstruction could have survived if better medical care was given.