Wellington Region

Wellington councillors have voted against the demands of a petition calling for a major road upgrade to be paused and put under independent review.

The chief ombudsman for the first time will investigate how Wellington Water and Auckland Transport handle official information.

A staff member confirmed it will close for refurbishments and reopen sometime next year.

Wellington's emergency management has been working with communities to ready them for the big one - the quake and subsequent tsunami that will turn towns, cities and lives upside down.

A private consortium has been given the green light to run motorway cameras to identify drivers' number plates and vehicle type to uphold a commercial contract. Audio

As more businesses shut their doors, stores in part of the CBD are contending with road closures for construction work on council buildings. Audio

Asked if he would swim in the harbour if there was sewage, Greg O'Connor said: "Yeah, I do." But Chris Hipkins said he "probably" would not.

An investigation has been launched into large quantities of highly flammable chemicals found in petrol and paint being illegally dumped down sewerage pipes in the Hutt Valley.

Wellington transport fares could go up - while bus, train and ferry services could be cut back - due to a lack of government investment, according to council claims.

A 2020 new build proved to be an expensive mistake.

The Air New Zealand flight from Auckland to Wellington needed a longer runway than was available in the capital.

KiwiRail has been forced to pay $432,500 after being found guilty of exposing passengers to risk.

A reduced rating will mean higher borrowing costs for two major city councils.

A hospitality group says Wellington businesses are suffering from the effects of a decline in foot traffic, and customers with less money to spend.

The pair then stole a member of the public's car and took off on Transmission Gully.

The board of Whare Manaaki Porirua Women's Refuge took legal advice after the request to transfer "a significant sum of money" to the Porirua Women & Family Centre.

A note in the store window of Pandoro Wellington said it had become too tough to keep its three bakeries open.

Wellington Water has announced Pat Dougherty as its chief executive after Tonia Haskell resigned last month.

Wellington region mayors are warning residents to conserve water where possible this summer, despite positive usage modelling. Audio

The Court of Appeal set aside a High Court ruling which saw Daniel Clinton Fitzgerald awarded damages for an unfair sentence.