Southern motorists are being urged to take extra care on the roads this time of year as areas of black ice emerge.

After yesterday's big freeze, light rain on the roads turned to black ice in the Otago Lakes area, and elsewhere in the district.

Police say although the roads look wet, and the sun may not be shining, this creates a false impression for drivers.

A mother who lost her Dunedin son to suicide says a government-led draft suicide prevention strategy is "spineless".

Patrice Harrex, of Oamaru, was spurred to work in mental health as a community worker after her son Brad Anderson committed suicide at age 25, in 2010.

A masked man has held up a Dunedin antiques store, one of two robberies reported in the city on Friday.

Dunedin police were kept busy with two armed robberies within an hour.

State Highway One near Karitane was closed for several hours on Friday following a fatal crash.

Dunedin Police released the name of the woman who was killed in the accident.

Hawaiian shirts were on show at St Clair Beach at the weekend, but the waters were anything but tropical.

Dunedin's annual Midwinter Festival took place in Dunedin over the weekend.

Over 200 volunteers and 100 performers took part in this year's procession through the Octagon.

The 2017 event was the biggest yet, and organisers have even bigger plans for next year.

Tomorrow evening the centre of Dunedin hosts the 20th annual Midwinter Carnival.

Two decades ago Paul Smith was one of the founders of the event, he's now the chairperson of the Dunedin Midwinter Celebrations Trust.

He says the festival has come a long way in two decades.

The NZ Transport Agency has announced a $5.4 million upgrade of State Highway 1 from Lookout Point, Dunedin, to Mosgiel.

Improvements include new safety barriers an "high performance" road markings to improve visibility at night and in wet conditions.

A yellow-eyed penguin found sick and underweight in the Catlins last month has been returned to the wild after recovering in Penguin Place on Otago Peninsula.

The Department of Conservation was alerted to the penguin by members of the public at the end of May.

Following feedback from some sectors of the community a decision has been taken to extend consultation on the draft Dunedin Destination Plan by two weeks.

The draft plan is now open for consultation until Friday Seventh July at five pm

Emergency services were called to a gas leak in Stuart Street this morning.

It was later discovered a gas hob was left on at a restaurant overnight.

The Dunedin City Councillor trying to keep the Cadbury factory going has withdrawn his bid for a manufacturing contract with Cadbury owner Mondelez.

Presbyterian Support conducted their 2017 Octacan appeal in the Octagon today.

Volunteers came from all sectors of the community, from schools to businesses, to help with the collection.

Rosel Labone has more.

Otago Country came away from Waikaia with a confidence-boosting 19-10 win over Southland Country yesterday.

Otago Country started off strongly, with centre Rhys Harrold crossing inside the first minute, then converting from the touchline.

A gas leak sourced at Cafe Rue in Stuart Street is currently being investigated by Police and Fire.

Firefighters and police turned up to the scene at around 8:40 am this morning.

A Dunedin man has been charged after the discovery of a package taped to a wall on Moray Place closed much of central Dunedin last Friday.

Two students escaped uninjured from a fire in their North Dunedin flat this morning.

Dunedin MP Michael Woodhouse officially opened a brand new Steel and Tube site in Dunedin's Fryatt Street today.

The new space is larger than the current space, and as the business grows, plans are in place to expand the workforce, providing more opportunities in the city.

Overseas, laws are being created to prevent fashion models from being underweight.

Does New Zealand also have an issue with excessively thin models?

National MP Todd Barclay has today announced he will not stand as the candidate for Clutha-Southland in the 2017 election, and will leave Parliament at the end of this term.
“This has been a hard decision to make, but it is in the best interests of our government and the National Party,” Mr Barclay said.