Mark Price

Seven weeks ago the Otago Regional Council introduced a "suite" of new farm effluent rules designed to consign to history the unfortunate term "dirty dairying".

Three years ago last month, Michael Swann was sentenced in the High Court, in Dunedin, to nine and a-half years' jail for defrauding the Otago District Health Board of $16,902,000. Swann's sentence might have been up to a year longer if it had not been for his remorse and attempts to make good. But, as Mark Price reports, those still looking for the missing money say despite the discount in his sentence, they have received no help whatsoever from Michael Swann.

Staging an event at Dunedin's new stadium is a team effort. And as Mark Price discovers, the team is really big.

The percentage of young New Zealanders passing the practical driving test to obtain their restricted licence has plummeted in the past six weeks. The fall, from an 80% pass rate to a 39% pass rate, is due to the introduction of a new version of the driving test. To better understand just how tough the new test is, Mark Price arranged for two experienced drivers to give it a go.

You are a passenger on board the Queen Elizabeth cruise ship and you have already done New York, San Francisco, Honolulu and Auckland. Now what would it take to persuade you to disembark at the log wharf at Port Chalmers, in the rain?

A plan to deal with every conceivable cruise ship emergency off the Otago coast - from fire to terrorist attack - is being prepared by Dunedin emergency services.

You do not need silver hair, a dark suit, a school tie and an expensive car to be a company director. To form a company and give yourself a seat on the board all you need is $163.55 and the time for a little Companies Office form-filling.

One of the Otago Rugby Football Union's longest-serving former administrators says he was "amazed" at how slow the union's board was to learn of its impending financial trouble.

The front door is open at 216 Avonside Dr. But walk up the path, through a garden of white roses, and there is a faded "red sticker" on the door, saying: "Unsafe. Do not Enter or Occupy."

A year on from Christchurch's February 22, 2011 earthquake, Otago Daily Times features writer Mark Price finds the city is still picking up the pieces.

Joe Karam has another book out on the Bain murders. And this time it's about guilt, not innocence, Mark Price reports.

It is not necessarily good news when the mining company comes to town, says Queensland cattle farmer Sid Plant. He tells Mark Price of his experience living next door and why Mataura should leave its coal in the hole.

How would New Zealand rescue 4000 passengers forced to abandon a cruise ship off the rugged and remote south coast?

Will some street alterations, and new seating and planting, be enough to pull the down-at-heel South Dunedin commercial centre out of the doldrums? Mark Price takes a look.

The owners of the condemned Brocklebank Drycleaners building in the main street of South Dunedin are frustrated at a five-month wait, so far, for approval to knock down the building.

Many Western economies struggled to make progress in 2011 - treading water at best and slipping into decline at worst. But how did Otago fare? Mark Price looks back for signs Otago moved forward in 2011.

The arrival of Sun Princess at Port Chalmers this morning marks exactly 50 years since the first cruise ship made its way into Otago Harbour.

Amid the rubble of its 2011 election-night defeat, Labour's loss of the party vote in Dunedin South stood out as a singular "disaster". The seat, traditionally regarded as "safe Labour", swung to National. Mark Price takes a closer look where the votes went.