Local Democracy Reporting

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Local Democracy Reporting - Latest News [Page 54]

Low Pay, No Power: Precarious Work Traps Thousands Of Aucklanders And Weakens Democracy – Study

Tuesday, 8 July 2025, 5:11 pm | Mary Afemata - Local Democracy Reporter

Dr Marko Galič’s ethnographic study reveals how low-paid, insecure employment perpetuates poverty and creates a sense of powerlessness among workers, leaving them too exhausted to engage in democratic processes. More >>

Council Negotiations Take New Water Entity One Step Further

Tuesday, 8 July 2025, 4:59 pm | Emily Ireland - Local Democracy Reporter

The shareholder/stakeholder council would be made up of six representatives - one representative appointed from each of the four councils, and one representative each from Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa and Rangitāne o Wairarapa. More >>

$3.2M Confirmed For Rural Health Centre Transformation

Tuesday, 8 July 2025, 4:50 pm | Moana Ellis - Local Democracy Reporter

Following the community call for action, Health Minister Simeon Brown directed Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora to prioritise and accelerate work on the rural health centre. More >>

A Tale Of Two Stopbanks Hemming In Wairau River

Tuesday, 8 July 2025, 4:42 pm | Kira Carrington - Local Democracy Reporter

In 2024, council set aside $8.7 million in their Long Term Plan to strengthen the stopbank after it was compromised following the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake. That included $3.6m in government funding. More >>

South Auckland grocery store loses right to sell alcohol

Monday, 7 July 2025, 6:48 pm | Torika Tokalau - Local Democracy Reporter

The off-licence was denied after an appeal led by an Auckland councillor with the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority. More >>

Nelson Adopts Ambitious Target To Slash Emissions

Monday, 7 July 2025, 9:55 am | Max Frethey - Local Democracy Reporter

Community submissions vastly preferred the average annual reduction of 8.3% over an alternative goal of 6.83%, but the council still spent two hours debating the two targets. More >>

South Auckland Grocery Store Loses Right To Sell Alcohol

Monday, 7 July 2025, 9:36 am | Torika Tokalau - Local Democracy Reporter

Communities Against Alcohol Harm secretary Dr Grant Hewison said ARLA's decision will now set a precedent for future off-license applications on grocery and convenience stores. More >>

Pensioner With No Power In Caravan For Six Years Finally Gets New Home

Sunday, 6 July 2025, 8:01 pm | Alisha Evans - Local Democracy Reporter

Steven Connelly, 67, spent years on a waitlist. More >>

Fresh Push For Four-Lane Highway From Rolleston To Ashburton

Sunday, 6 July 2025, 7:56 pm | Jonathan Leask - Local Democracy Reporter

A local woman is renewing the campaign for State Highway 1 between Rolleston and Ashburton to be increased to four lanes. More >>

Heavy Vehicle Traffic Prompts Whatatutu Community Petition To Council

Sunday, 6 July 2025, 7:53 pm | Zita Campbell - Local Democracy Reporter

The petition highlights noise from 1.30am, speeding trucks and road damage. More >>

Te Waka McLeod Facing Peter Moeahu For New Plymouth Māori Ward

Sunday, 6 July 2025, 7:50 pm | Craig Ashworth - Local Democracy Reporting

For New Plymouth's Māori ward, voters will choose between a young māmā ushering in the next generation and an experienced campaigner wanting land returned. More >>

Youth MP Wants To See Pasifika Voices In Politics Amplified

Sunday, 6 July 2025, 7:47 pm | Mary Afemata - Local Democracy Reporter

Marques Tominiko has returned from Parliament feeling proud of how he represented his people, but he thinks that South Auckland remains under the radar. More >>

Canterbury Water Storage Boost A ‘Gamechanger’ For Farmers

Friday, 4 July 2025, 4:33 pm | David Hill - Local Democracy Reporter

The Government has announced $56.4m investment in three Canterbury water storage schemes. More >>

Glitch Sends One Person’s Rates Bill To Up To 1000 Central Hawke’s Bay Residents

Friday, 4 July 2025, 4:23 pm | Linda Hall - Local Democracy Reporter

When our rate notices were sent out, one person’s information from 2024 was sent out to multiple people, council’s Chief Executive, Doug Tate said. More >>

Telcos Defends Response After Tasman Mobile Outages

Friday, 4 July 2025, 3:56 pm | Max Frethey - Local Democracy Reporter

After being criticised by the mayor and derided by locals, the Telecommunications Forum is defending the response to reception outages during Tasman’s storms. Tasman was hammered by heavy rain on Thursday and Friday last week causing telecommunication More >>

Sweeping Changes Expected At Selwyn Council Table

Friday, 4 July 2025, 3:51 pm | Jonathan Leask - Local Democracy Reporter

In the Springs ward, there are Aaron McGlinchy, Denise Carrick, and Act Party candidate Zoran Rakovic. Earlier this year, Act Leader David Seymour announced it would stand candidates in local council elections for the first time. More >>

‘Dogs Deserve Better’: Councillors Back Campaign To Curb Roaming Dogs

Friday, 4 July 2025, 3:40 pm | Mary Afemata - Local Democracy Reporter

The campaign, ‘Who let the dogs out?’, includes three impactful television commercials that demonstrate the potential harm to dogs left to roam freely, the danger they might pose to others, and the unfortunate reality that some may face euthanasia when ... More >>