In the economic slump property prices everywhere are taking a beating, and now as we come into summer with less people having money to buy holiday homes, commentators say we're starting to see the coastal housing market bubble burst.

They says demand is slowing, prices are dropping and there's worse to come.

Mangawhai, on the coast just north of Auckland, is one popular holiday spot showing signs of this trend. Here's Georgina Ball at the local dairy.

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The international financial crisis is being felt more and more in New Zealand and it's affecting all sectors inclusing housing finance, retail and construction.

One of the places it's hitting hard is Shortland Street, not the soap opera, but the hub of financial activity in Auckland's CBD.

This week instead of a dairy Georgina Ball visited a cafe in one of the street's high rises to gauge the mood as we head into what is meant to be the festive season.

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A welcome return to our dairy segment. And what better place to visit this week than inner city Auckland suburb Parnell, home to our new Prime Minister John Key and a host of other famous faces.

Georgina Ball visits the Hilltop Superette at the top of Parnell's iconic shopping village to discover the real Parnell.

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Last week Wellington's inner-city Manners Mall was in the spotlight for another violent crime, the latest in a long list.

Some in the windy city say daily acts of violence are the norm and they're threatening the city's reputation as a cultural centre. But others believe the ecclectic crowd hanging out in the central city just adds character.

Georgina Ball with this report.

Two weeks ago the worst storm in ten years hit the Waikato with the eye of the storm centred on the small township Te Aroha.

Their local volunteer fire brigade was out in force making a record 92 call outs and saving the locals from flying roofs and falling trees.

Renee Graham visited a dairy where residents are calling them heroes.

The price of petrol has dropped this week but that hasn't stopped an alarming rise in the number of motorists stealing fuel.

It's become so widespread many petrol stations have moved to a pre-pay system to try and stop the thieves... and it's so bad that some fo the independantly owned stations say they'll soon be forced to close.

Georgina Ball visits a petrol station where the owners say they may have to turn off the pumps they've been operating for more than 40 years.

The main interview this week on "Agenda" was ACT Leader Rodney Hide on the serious business of politics. But in contrast we've also taken a look at the lighter side of his antics in the spotlight...

A spat's broken out in his Epsom Electorate in Auckland over his new brightly-coloured campaign jacket.

A local business assocation is banning the jacket from their streets - saying it offends their fashion sense.

But Rodney's determined to defy them and continue wearing it in the run up to the election. Renee Graham at the Newmarket shopping district's local dairy.

Authors of a new report confirming our exploding Asian population say the freetrade agreement with China will only see this growth continue and Kiwis need to get used to Asians being here and many more arriving.

But for those already here, things aren't always a bed of roses. A recent hike in violent crime against Asians has many living in fear and now it appears paranoia's growing amongst those leading the fight as Georgina Ball discovered when she visited a dairy run by Cambodians in East Auckland.

Until recently the most popular vehicle in the US has been the big ute but rising fuel prices and a downturn in the economy are seeing the death of the SUV.

The changing market means companies like Ford who specialize in big cars are being hit hard.

In New Zealand there are similar trends- for the first time in five years Toyota has bounced Holden Commodore from the number one spot.

Georgina Ball visits a commuter suburb in Auckland to see what people are driving.

The Government announced last week that it's working toward legislating against the incandescent light bulbs that most of us have been using for years.

They'd be replaced by energy efficient flourescent bulbs or CFLs, which although more expensive to buy, use a quarter of the energy to run.

No-one disputes they are better for the environment and household budgets.

But opponents of the Government's move say it's another case of Labour over-regulating and taking away freedom of choice.

Georgina Ball visits a dairy in one of the country's wealthiest suburbs to see how home owners are reacting.

Following the crime wave in South Auckland there's been calls for the Government to take urgent action and make sure the streets are safe again.

One suggestion to curb alcohol-fuelled violence is to cut back on outlets able to sell liquor, in an area overrun with such outlets.

Georgina Ball heads into the crime-zone to see what locals think needs to be done.