Mike Sanford

Skilled plumbers and drainlayers will soon be able to sign off their own work under an expanded government scheme designed to speed up building projects and reduce costs. Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk announced the Self-certification by Plumbers and Drainlayers Bill will cover more residential work and some commercial

Update: Now Open. State Highway 6 north of Invercargill has been closed tonight after a three-vehicle crash left several people injured. The Winton-Lorneville Highway is blocked in both directions at Makarewa between Orion Road East and Flora Road East following the incident, which was reported around 6.40pm. Ambulance services

Hospice South's volunteer team has been recognised with a Minister of Health Volunteer Award, taking out the Community NGO category at a ceremony held at Parliament. The award acknowledges the contribution of more than 400 volunteers who collectively provided over 46,500 hours of service in the past

A marketing manager from Invercargill has been recognised at a national level, earning a spot as a finalist in the Innovation category at the Reseller News Women in ICT Awards. Tina Guina of Focus Technology Group was selected from a record 217 nominations across 77 organisations in New Zealand'

1pm Update: State Highway 8/Tarras-Cromwell Road has reopened after a truck crash overnight that closed the road near the Lindis River Bridge. People are asked to take care travelling on this route. ends A crashed truck is blocking State Highway 8 between Tarras and Cromwell this morning, with contractors

Rugby Southland has chosen two local charities as its official partners for the next two seasons, selecting the Loss and Grief Centre Southland and Inclusive Activity Murihiku (iAM) from 16 applications. The partnerships will focus on both fundraising and promoting the work of each organisation across Southland, with Rugby Southland

A Winton health worker's three decades of dedication to rural maternity care has been recognised with a surprise Community Service Award. Debbie McDougall, service manager at Winton Maternity Centre, was presented with the award by Southland District Council and the Oreti Community Board on Thursday in a ceremony

Southland families can slash heating costs and improve air quality this winter by making simple changes at home, according to Environment Southland. The council's winter air quality monitoring season began on 1 May and runs until 31 August, with weekly reports for Invercargill and Gore available online alongside