Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

An Auckland Trust that's collected 25 million pieces of litter from the city's harbour and the Hauraki Gulf in a decade has launched a new boat this week. (10′12″)

A organisation which is pushing for more cycleways in Auckland says almost half of all Aucklanders own a bike but few use them because it's just too dangerous. (10′04″)

Auckland's population is predicted to reach two-and-a-half million people by 2043. Where will everyone live? (12′58″)

Afghan interpreters who worked with New Zealand defence force there have just moved into the Mangere Refugee Resettlement Centre with their families. The refugee children are being swamped with clothing and toys collected by an organisation called Refugees as Survivors New Zealand. Before the refugees arrived David Steemson went out to centre to take a look. (10′23″)

One of Auckland's oldest ferry companies wants to bring back car ferries between the city's North Shore and downtown. Sealink also proposes dramatically expanding Auckland's passenger ferry network to reduce peak time congestion. (11′00″)

A Samoan master carver is finishing his work on the last of five poles to be centre stage at a new South Auckland preschool. Each has been uniquely carved with traditional designs of five Pacific islands. (8′06″)

A push to re-open the doors to the Anglican Maori boarding school of St Stephens is gaining traction. (11′07″)

Dozens of native trees are dying at Auckland's Tawharunui Regional Park as a result of the big dry. Endangered kiwi and pateke (the New Zealand brown teal) are succumbing too. (9′15″)

In 1993 the South Auckland freight company Mainfreight became a benefactor of Otara school Baird's Road Primary. Since then the company's given $750,000 to the school and its now bumping up its annual pledge. (10′39″)

Suicide rates amongst Maori in New Zealand are one-and-a-half times higher than for non-Maori. In an attempt to spread the suicide prevention message to Maori across the whole country, a series of online, hour-long, interactive seminars is being held. David Steemson has been finding out a bit more. (8′53″)

The Arborfield Sanctuary near Wellsford is already looking after unwanted cows, donkeys, pigs and llamas, and says it certainly can't take anymore cockerels! David Steemson's gone calling. (9′37″)

Young Aucklanders have a unique way to comment on a huge Auckland council blueprint that'll shape the city for the next thirty years. The council wants them to make a movie about its giant Unitary Plan... (11′36″)

The original Tony's Restaurant on Wellesley Street in the central city has just celebrated its golden jubilee over the weekend. (10′30″)

Highwic House has just had its 150th birthday and it's getting a new Welsh slate roof. (9′14″)

Next week marks 150 years since the sinking of the British Royal Navy corvette HMS Orpheus at the entrance to Auckland's Manukau Harbour. The Whatipu Orpheus Commemoration Committee has organised a public ceremony and wreath casting at Whatipu Beach from 11 o'clock next Thursday. Among the speakers will be naval historian Michael Wynd. Lisa Thompson recently met up with him at Torpedo Bay Navy Museum in Devonport. (12′27″)

There's still plenty of summer left and the Auckland Council's "heritage" baches are proving to be a hit with Aucklanders. There are now eighteen of the old farm homesteads and cottages up for rent, scattered through Auckland's regional parks. David Steemson takes a look at the most recent addition to the list. (9′13″)

New Zealand's only fully fledged mandolin orchestra has been playing to the Christmas crowds this week raising funds for the Auckland City Mission down at the Britomart Railway Station. The Mandolinata Orchestra was started by a Dutch woman here 35 years ago. David Steemson went to one of their last rehearsals of the year. (8′05″)

Waikumete cemetery in West Auckland is expected to reach burial capacity by about 2018 and a cemetery and reserve management plan for the next 10 years has been put out by Auckland Council for discussion. (12′05″)

Central Auckland's controversial new "shared spaces" where cars and pedestrians have to share the street, are putting more money in the tills of businesses. (10′39″)

Tamaki Intermediate School closes its doors for good next month after 55 years teaching the kids from the predominantly state housing area, nowadays nearly all Pacifica and Maori children. From term one next year, all seven contributing primary schools in the area will keep their eleven and twelve-years-old, until they're ready for high school. (10′29″)