Mike Sanford

Parliament has taken a key step towards easing delays in the building consent system by progressing two Bills focused on improving efficiency and accountability in the construction industry. The Self Certification by Plumbers and Drainlayers Bill passed its first reading this week. If passed into law, it would allow experienced

Elected members in Southland and Invercargill are set to receive pay rises, with some receiving bigger increases than others. The Southland District Council met to decide how to divide a fixed salary pool assigned by the national Remuneration Authority. The mayor's pay is excluded from this decision, as

A new book set to launch this month tells the story of one of Southland’s most enduring institutions. In The Service of Others: The History of H&J Smith will be released on 25 November, offering a heartfelt tribute to the people and history behind the much-loved Invercargill

Southland Girls’ High School Year 12 student Sophie Ineson is this year’s recipient of the Prime Minister’s Space Prize for student endeavour and will receive $50,000 to support her tertiary education, Invercargill MP Penny Simmonds says. “This is a wonderful achievement. Congratulations to Sophie – she has done

A new tourism campaign, “The Southern Way”, has received a major boost with $393,000 in Government support aimed at attracting more visitors to the lower South Island. Announced by Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston, the campaign will be led by regional development agency Great South, with a strong

Invercargill City Council has officially adopted its annual report, outlining the highs and lows of the 2024–25 financial year. Chief executive Michael Day opened his commentary in the report by stating it had been a “challenging financial year”. He explained that the council had faced high local government inflation,

It was a night to remember for Lotto NZ and players across the country as the historic $55 million Must Be Won Powerball draw delivered life-changing wins to three lucky ticket holders. Each of the three winners matched all six Lotto numbers along with the winning Powerball number, splitting the

Great South has received national acclaim for its work on the Murihiku Southland Aquaculture Pathway, taking home a Highly Commended award at the Economic Development New Zealand (EDNZ) Best Practice Awards. The award was presented in the Excellence in Sector and Cluster Development category, recognising successful initiatives that drive innovation,