Nelson Region
Nelson, Tasman councils vote to retain Māori wards
The wards have proven their worth, one councillor says: "Let's be honest here whānau, the system we have had for the last 150 years has not worked for Māori".
Violent kidnapping ordered after $200k of meth went missing
Dylan Hemana, 33, ordered a violent kidnapping that involved torture with hand tools.
Tramper drowned trying to rush epic Te Araroa Trail - coroner
Petr Čech put pressure on himself to complete the country-long trek within three months, the coroner has found.
Around the motu: Samantha Gee in Nelson
Nelson's long-awaited hospital rebuild will now be made up of several smaller buildings and include existing infrastructure. Audio
NZ's first soft plastic collection trial to be rolled out
Letters are being sent this week to households in more than 140 streets inviting people to register - with collections to start in early October and run for six months.
Villagers win subdivision fight against prominent wine grower
It started with a subdivison in a small alpine village. But when one landowner and his family tried to subdivide it further, a protracted legal battle began,
Museum turns to crowdfunding to keep taonga from being trashed
Irreplaceable treasures valued at $20 million are a few sandbags and plastic sheets away from ruin. Audio
No congestion charging for Nelson, yet
Regional leaders don't currently see a place for time-of-use charging in Nelson Tasman, but add that it shouldn't be ruled out in the face of future population growth.
Health minister backtracks on plans for Nelson Hospital rebuild
Instead of one large building, there'll be several smaller buildings and existing infrastructure will be retained. Audio
Man faces firearm, threatening to kill charges after 15-hour stand-off
He has been charged with eight offences total after a stand-off that saw police and the Defence Force involved.
Clean-up of contaminated Nelson beach to start next month
Work to remove sawdust and sand that is contaminated with arsenic and other chemicals will start on a popular Nelson beach next month.
Man faces kidnapping charge after 15-hour hostage situation
A 56-year-old has been arrested after a stand-off with police closed nearby schools and a hospital. Audio
Two people remain inside house at centre of Nelson lockdowns
Two people remain inside the house where police have been responding to a family harm incident and a local resident says the situation appears far from over.
Breaking meows: Non-stop laughs at Nelson's cat video festival
The festival features four 15-minute blocks of back-to-back cat videos.
Around the motu: Samantha Gee in Nelson
A Nelson-based organisation that supports the most vulnerable tamariki and their whanau across the top of the South Island is set to lose almost 40 per cent of its frontlline staff, as Oranga Tamariki… Audio
Remorse 'genuine': Court removes man's name from child sex offender list
Justice Helen Cull was not persuaded that Kwan Loong Lee presented a risk to the lives or sexual safety of children generally.
Sandwich board sign ban hard to swallow for businesses
A plan to ban sandwich boards from Nelson footpaths has sparked debate: businesses say they contribute to sales, but disability representatives say they're a hazard and reduce access.
Family kidnapped over $200k of missing meth, one tortured with pliers
The victim's toes were squeezed so hard with pliers, he feared they would "pop off".
Seven more storm-hit homes in Nelson bought out by council
One of the homeowners say the news is a relief although it is sad to leave a home of 19 years behind.
Council looks at changing controversial intensification plan
Nelson City Council has recommended changes for a hearing panel to consider later this year.
