Paige Turner

Invercargill Airport deliberately cut its own power last month to find out what would happen. The answer, it turns out, was worth knowing. The airport ran a planned blackout exercise, pulling mains power from the terminal, control tower and Airport Fire Service to test how critical systems switched to generator

A Gore district councillor's use of the word "gay" to describe a staff presentation cost ratepayers $8200 plus GST to investigate. Councillor Donna Bruce made the remark to fellow councillor Robert McKenzie during a workshop in April. McKenzie lodged a code of conduct complaint. The investigation

Southland's recycling contamination rate has dropped, but 811 tonnes of recyclables still ended up in landfill last year. That's $309,639 worth of waste — at the current general waste fee — that could have been recycled. The contamination rate across kerbside recycling and public drop-off fell to

"ACT will restore a public service based on merit, need, neutrality, and results," says ACT Leader David Seymour. "New Zealanders pay for the public service to deliver better education, healthcare, public safety, infrastructure, and essential government services. This Government has gone some way to fixing it with

Southland District Council has about 32,000km of water pipes — and doesn't know where all of them are. Strategic manager water and waste Kevin Johnson made the admission at a council meeting on Wednesday, when he updated elected members on the district's water services network. Asked

Southland is holding up where most of the country isn't. Seven months into 2026, the region has recorded a 3.1% increase in average home values — one of just three regions in positive territory nationally, alongside Canterbury (1.3%) and Otago (2.8%). Invercargill is up 0.1%

Nobody will say how many private investors put their hand up to take over a struggling Fiordland airport — not the council that owns it, and not the agency it paid to run the process. Te Anau Airport Manapouri has cost Southland District Council an extra $2.1 million just to

Gore District Council has backed both competing Southland local government reform proposals, writing to the Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport ahead of the government's August 9 deadline. The council confirmed support for both the two-unitary Greater Southland proposal developed by Southland District Council and the single-unitary