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Bringing together the latest news and updates from Invercargill City, Southland District, Gore District, and Environment Southland. This section offers a consolidated view of key decisions, community initiatives, environmental policies, and local governance. Stay informed with comprehensive coverage of council activities, ensuring you're up to date with everything happening across Southland's councils in one convenient place.

Latest Articles 761 Articles
Council Payroll Goes Live on New Platform
Council Payroll Goes Live on New Platform
Business   -   Aug 13, 2026

Invercargill City Council has successfully switched its payroll system to a cloud-based platform, processing its first live pay run for around 550 employees in early July 2026. The new system, built on TechnologyOne's Human Resources and Payroll platform and implemented by Australian technology firm Atturra, replaces a patchwork

Southland Roads Near 'tipping Point', Mayor Warns
Southland Roads Near 'tipping Point', Mayor Warns
Councils   -   Aug 09, 2026

Parts of Southland's roading network are approaching a "tipping point", and the district mayor has put that warning in writing to the country's transport agency. Southand District Mayor Rob Scott has written a pointed letter to NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) chair Simon Bridges, questioning

Council Files Reform Bid as Deadline Hits
Council Files Reform Bid as Deadline Hits
Councils   -   Aug 09, 2026

Southland District Council will submit a merger proposal for local government reform — even though most of the people it asked said not to. Councillors voted on Wednesday to back a Head Start proposal for two councils to govern the region: a Southland-Gore unitary council and an Invercargill unitary council. The

Soap Pranks Cost Council $5000 a Year
Soap Pranks Cost Council $5000 a Year
Councils   -   Aug 09, 2026

Someone keeps turning Invercargill's Gala St fountain into a bubble bath — and it's costing ratepayers more than $5000 a year to clean up. The soap suds prank, a recurring nuisance at the city centre fountain, requires staff to neutralise the foam with vinegar around 50 times

Invercargill Votes Yes on Unitary Authority
Invercargill Votes Yes on Unitary Authority
Councils   -   Aug 06, 2026

Southland councils have been scrambling to finalise their Head Start proposals before the August 9 deadline, with the Gore District hedging their bets across two. Invercargill City councillors voted today (August 6) to move ahead with their unitary authority model proposal for Southland, including Gore. But it wasn’t without

Gore Keeps Options Open on Merger
Gore Keeps Options Open on Merger
Councils   -   Aug 06, 2026

Gore District Council is staying in the room on local government reform — but making clear it hasn't agreed to anything yet. Following an extraordinary council meeting today, Gore agreed to keep exploring reform proposals from both Invercargill City Council and Southland District Council under the Government's

Te Anau Airport Hunts Private Investors
Te Anau Airport Hunts Private Investors
Councils   -   Aug 05, 2026

Te Anau Airport Manapōuri has been losing money since Southland District Council bought it in 2002. Whether that changes soon depends on what comes out of an RFP process that closed on June 12. The six-week request for proposals, managed by development agency Great South, sought private capital and expertise

Council Staff Face Record Abuse in June
Council Staff Face Record Abuse in June
Councils   -   Jul 28, 2026

Police were called twice in June after staff at Invercargill City Council were subjected to abuse — the latest sign that anti-social behaviour towards council workers is getting worse, not better. The council's most recent health, safety and wellbeing report recorded 23 incidents involving verbal abuse and threatening behaviour

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