Matthew Littlewood

The contract for the inpatient building for the new Dunedin hospital has been delayed amid pressure on the contractor to cut costs, the Otago Daily Times understands.

Otago Polytechnic is in a perilous financial situation after being saddled with tens of millions of dollars of debt, documents show.

A complex and confusing system has led the University of Otago to ask for help with its financial and enrolment forecasting so it can better respond to financial challenges.

An exasperated Dunedin city councillor says Wellington should stop trying to "help" the polytechnic system, as the government plans further reform.

The tertiary education industry watchdog is "confident" the University of Otago can manage its financial risks.

Electricity generators say the weekend’s rain has staved off a historically dry period, but there are still concerns about security of supply.

Not even the support of the city council will be enough to see Otago Polytechnic return to full autonomy, its former boss says.

Book borrowings at the University of Otago libraries have nosedived by more than 67% in the past five years as staff restructuring is proposed.

The government is being accused of not having a plan for future dry years, as hydro lakes remain historically low.

New Zealand is in a power supply "crisis" that could lead to restrictions on electricity use for all Kiwis, some of the country's largest companies warn.

The lid has been lifted on the catalogue of mismanagement and confusion behind cost blow-outs at the new Dunedin hospital.

Electricity generators appear to be playing "Russian roulette" with lake levels and the New Zealand public, and conservation of power must start now, a Mackenzie district councillor warns.