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Local Democracy Reporting
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Local Democracy Reporting - Latest News [Page 41]
New Home For Rare Skinks Takes Shape On Napier’s Marine Parade
Thursday, 8 January 2026, 4:33 pm | Linda Hall - Local Democracy Reporter
Experts are relocating the skinks to make way for a $37.4 million stormwater infrastructure project between Maraenui and Te Awa. More >>
Swampy To The Rescue: Swimming Excavator Dredges Blenheim River
Wednesday, 7 January 2026, 3:47 pm | Kira Carrington - Local Democracy Reporter
An amphibious excavator has begun dredging the pop-up garden patch growing out of a river in central Blenheim. More >>
Wipes And Rocks Wreak Havoc On Tasman’s Wastewater
Wednesday, 7 January 2026, 3:44 pm | Max Frethey - Local Democracy Reporter
While the problem of flushed wet wipes in Tasman's wastewater system has not gone away, rocks are driving this year's cost increase for clearing wastewater blockages. More >>
Action On Marlborough Sounds Parchment Worm ‘in The Too-Hard Basket’
Tuesday, 6 January 2026, 11:47 am | Kira Carrington - Local Democracy Reporter
An environmental group calling for control of parchment worm in the Marlborough Sounds has criticised the Marlborough District Council for years of inaction. More >>
Hastings Council's Plea To Thieves - Return Our 'Much-Loved' Turtles
Tuesday, 6 January 2026, 11:45 am | Linda Hall - Local Democracy Reporter
Several prized reptiles have been taken from a park enclosure, and police are getting involved. More >>
High-Risk Intersection Near Havelock North To Get $2.7m Roundabout Upgrade
Tuesday, 6 January 2026, 11:42 am | Linda Hall - Local Democracy Reporter
An average of around 6500 vehicles used the intersection daily, with heavy vehicles making up about 12 percent of the traffic. More >>
Wood Seller Urges Crackdown Over 'Firewood Cowboys' On Facebook
Friday, 2 January 2026, 3:37 pm | Linda Hall - Local Democracy Reporter
Woodstocks Firewood merchant owner John Caulton is calling for action from Inland Revenue and urging Hawke's Bay councils to bring back a registration scheme that had helped prevent "firewood cowboys" from profiting. More >>
The Tragic Story Behind Hawke’s Bay’s Blossom Spot
Friday, 2 January 2026, 3:15 pm | Linda Hall - Local Democracy Reporter
The Pakowhai Rd site is near the scene of a fatal car crash on the Chesterhope Bridge in 1998. More >>
'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 >>
