The Dunedin City Council’s reputation as ‘‘divided and dysfunctional’’ is scaring off potential amalgamation partners, a councillor says.

The new Dunedin hospital will have a neurosurgery-equipped operating theatre and the city’s neurosurgery services will remain unchanged, Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora (HNZ) says.

Concerns about traffic safety along six short stretches of state highway in Otago and Southland, have prompted the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) to propose targeted speed limit changes.

‘‘Disruptive’’ Dunedin city councillor Benedict Ong was used by Wellington’s deputy mayor to illustrate a point on ‘‘almost existential threats to democracy’’.

There are fears New Zealand’s poultry industry and native bird population could be decimated, following the arrival of H5N1 bird flu.

He has never been to Spain, does not speak the language and has never seen La Roja, the Spain national football team, play live before.

An extended ‘‘exorcism’’ of Sandy Graham’s misconduct serves little purpose given her imminent departure from Dunedin City Council’s top job, a councillor says.