Hamish McNeilly

Recent work on Dunedin's former chief post office in the Exchange was an effort to secure the site of the proposed hotel project, while discussions were continuing with a possible tenant.

Jarrod Allan Mangles, who murdered Arrowtown woman Maureen McKinnel 25 years ago, has been declined parole as he ''poses an undue risk to the safety of the community'', the Parole Board has decided.

Three non-students were arrested just a day after police warned they would take a harder line on disorder events in the student quarter.

Police will take a hard line with those involved in lighting couch fires in the student quarter, after a spike in call-outs last month.

Seven students were punished by University of Otago vice-chancellor Prof Harlene Hayne for their involvement with fires in the student quarter last year.

The number of revellers at the annual Hyde St keg party is about to be curtailed, as stakeholders try to minimise the impact of the all-day street party.

Police are searching for a man they say is a serial swindler targeting southern food outlets.

An autistic man was told ''go home to China'' in a racist verbal attack in central Dunedin this week.

The investments of dozens of racing clubs are the subject of a joint investigation between the Serious Fraud Office and Internal Affairs over alleged pokie grant manipulations.

Hundreds of police officers across the country have been withdrawn from the front line from today and told not to interact with the public, after failing a key fitness test, it has been revealed.

A runaway truck coming down a steep Dunedin street resulted in damage to seven vehicles and two people taken to hospital. However, those involved say it could have been much worse.

The Barmy Army - or at least one of them - invaded Dunedin yesterday.

Emergency services were called to Rattray St at 8.45am following a crash between several vehicles outside Kavanagh College.

A homegrown surfboard is making a splash around Dunedin beaches.