Former government statistician Len Cook is hitting out at the proposed new census, saying the country is is in the midst of a ‘‘population storm’’ and reliable data is desperately needed.

High variability in some kinds of Dunedin City Council expenditure suggests ‘‘a range of poor-value spending’’, a councillor says.

A Dunedin taxi driver accused of detaining and sexually assaulting two women says the allegations against him are ‘‘totally, very untrue’’.

A new pupil at Otago Boys’ High School is following in his dad’s footsteps, even though it was a 19,000km jaunt to school.