Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Local Democracy Reporting
Content from the Local Democracy Reporting (LDR) service is published by Scoop as a registered New Zealand Media Outlet LDR Partner.
Local Democracy Reporting - Latest News [Page 4]
'For Wairarapa An Amalgamation Proposal Will Help': Wilde
Thursday, 1 January 2026, 4:46 pm | Sue Teodoro - Local Democracy Reporter
In a summer series on Wairarapa leaders' views on the government's proposed local council reforms, South Wairarapa mayor Dame Fran Wilde shares her perspectives. More >>
Northland’s Population To Quadruple With Summer Tourist Influx
Thursday, 1 January 2026, 4:35 pm | Susan Botting - Local Democracy Reporter
More than 800,000 visitors typically flood into the region over the summer peak. More >>
New Year Honours: Dark Sky Champion Initially Didn't Believe Honour Email
Wednesday, 31 December 2025, 6:02 pm | Sue Teodoro - Local Democracy Reporter
Viv Napier, former South Wairarapa District Council mayor, said the honour came as a complete surprise to her. More >>
New Year Honours: Libby Fletcher Honoured For Protecting Lake Tarawera
Wednesday, 31 December 2025, 4:10 pm | Mathew Nash - Local Democracy Reporter
The recognition follows more than a decade of work in environmental protection, community engagement, and local public service. More >>
New Year Honours: Greytown Couple Applauded For Lifetime Of Service To Music
Wednesday, 31 December 2025, 4:08 pm | Sue Teodoro - Local Democracy Reporter
Ed and Juliet Cooke have both been awarded the King's Service Medal (KSM) for their services to music. More >>
Thousands of Wairarapa properties at risk in the event of 1-in-100-year flood
Tuesday, 30 December 2025, 11:25 am | Sue Teodoro - Local Democracy Reporter
The number of houses at risk is likely to increase, with modelling suggesting the effects of climate change will also increase in the future. More >>
Summer Brings Sense Of ‘Home’ For Whangārei’s New Migrants
Tuesday, 30 December 2025, 11:22 am | Susan Botting - Local Democracy Reporter
About 800 new migrants from more than 45 countries have settled in Whangārei this year. More >>
Tourism Business ‘Extremely Distressed’ By Road Closures
Monday, 29 December 2025, 6:06 pm | Kira Carrington - Local Democracy Reporter
A Marlborough Sounds tourism operator says restricted access road closures is leaving them cut off from customers at the start of the peak summer season. More >>
Northland Regional Council Zeroes In On Rare Rates Freeze
Monday, 29 December 2025, 6:04 pm | Susan Botting - Local Democracy Reporter
The rare zero rates increase has been proposed by Northland Regional Council (NRC) for its coming 2026/2027 council financial year, with an impact on 100,000 ratepayers. More >>
Get The Wahs! Rotorua Dreams Of Warriors Return After Seven-Year Absence
Monday, 29 December 2025, 10:04 am | Mathew Nash - Local Democracy Reporter
The New Zealand Warriors have not played in Rotorua since 2020 - and won't in 2026 either. More >>
Bay Of Plenty Wallaby Infestation: 2000 Controlled This Year
Monday, 29 December 2025, 8:18 am | Mathew Nash - Local Democracy Reporter
The Bay of Plenty Regional Council killed or contained more than 2000 wallabies as part of its pest control programme in 2024/25. More >>
Bay Of Plenty Council Urges Summer Swimmers To Check Rotorua Water Safety
Friday, 26 December 2025, 4:21 pm | Mathew Nash - Local Democracy Reporter
Coastal and tidal waterways remain New Zealand's most deadly. Water Safety NZ reported that 50 percent of the nation's 72 drowning deaths last year were in these blackspots. More >>
End Of The Line For Melling Train Station
Friday, 26 December 2025, 3:16 pm | Sue Teodoro - Local Democracy Reporter
The new station and its park and ride facilities are being built about 300 meters south of the existing location. More >>
The Town That Opened Its Doors To Polish Refugee Children
Thursday, 25 December 2025, 5:06 pm | Sue Teodoro - Local Democracy Reporter
It's been eight decades since hundreds of children found a new home in Pahīatua during WWII. More >>
More Hornets Expected Over Summer, Public Urged To Remain Vigilant
Wednesday, 24 December 2025, 3:03 pm | Torika Tokalau - Local Democracy Reporter
To date, there have been been reported sightings only in Auckland - with the discovery of queen hornets and nests in the Glenfield and Birkdale areas. More >>
Council Workers’ Quick Actions Save Great-Grandmother’s Life
Tuesday, 23 December 2025, 5:14 pm | Mathew Nash - Local Democracy Reporter
Sandra Bristowe, 78, had collapsed in her front garden and started "grabbing at her chest" and complaining of pain. More >>
Caught On Camera Damaging Headstone, But Police Say Evidence Not Enough
Friday, 19 December 2025, 5:22 pm | Jonathan Leask - Local Democracy Reporter
The headstone has been vandalised on five separate occasions, including one incident where the family captured video evidence of it happening, but police say it wasn't enough to progress a prosecution. More >>
Community Cheers As Booze Back On Tap At Castlepoint Hotel Bar
Friday, 19 December 2025, 5:20 pm | Sue Teodoro - Local Democracy Reporter
The Castlepoint Hotel - the Whakataki recently has been given a reprieve and is now allowed to sell alcohol pending the outcome of its appeal next year. More >>
300 Hours Of Work Destroyed: Vandals Leave Featherston’s Christmas Tree In Tatters
Thursday, 18 December 2025, 5:37 pm | Sue Teodoro - Local Democracy Reporter
The tree, handmade by a local craft collective entirely from recycled materials, was found in tatters after it came down on Monday night. More >>
Condescending And Costly: Advocates Slam Disability And Ageing Revamp
Thursday, 18 December 2025, 4:26 pm | Craig Ashworth - Local Democracy Reporting
Girling-Butcher said the focus group was being promoted by people with no experience of barriers that disabled people are trying to remove. More >>
