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3 days ago | 
stuff.co.nz | Amy Ridout |Susan Edmunds |Diane McCarthy |Michael Daly
As if people needed another reason to live in Wairarapa, we have some of the most reasonable parking rates in New Zealand. While places like Wellington seem to actively discourage visitors with their sky-high parking fees, the Times-Age hit the streets to find out what people thought of Masterton, which has the lowest rates among the provincial centres. Mark Todd was glad Masterton was reasonably priced. “Go to Wellington, or anything like that and it’s crazy,” he said.
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1 week ago | 
stuff.co.nz | Catrin Owen |Diane McCarthy |Lee Tulloch |Hamish McNeilly
Because film critics should be honest about their biases, I’ll start with a confession: I’ve long had an aversion to Rebel Wilson. The Australian comic actress has built a career on being “subversively” crude, often punctuating punchlines by sticking out her tongue in a way that feels more adolescent than edgy.
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1 week ago | 
nzherald.co.nz | Diane McCarthy
Eastern Bay tourism operators were able to attend the Trenz25 tourism expo held in Rotorua in May through Whakatāne District Council’s links with Tourism Bay of Plenty. Tourism operators across the eastern Bay of Plenty are boycotting Whakatāne District Council for cutting funding to Tourism Bay of Plenty. The council has previously contributed $85,000 annually to the council-controlled organisation of Tauranga City and Western Bay District councils.
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2 weeks ago | 
nzherald.co.nz | Diane McCarthy
Air Chathams has said it may have to discontinue its Whakatāne to Auckland route if it does not receive financial support. Photo / LDRWhakatāne Mayor Victor Luca has made an appeal to the Government for support to keep Air Chathams flying out of Whakatāne. A response from Associate Transport Minister James Meager has provided hope, though no firm promises.
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2 weeks ago | 
nzherald.co.nz | Diane McCarthy
The Landing Road Bridge in Whakatāne is at capacity and vulnerable to seismic and flooding risks, according to a Whakatāne District Grey Power petition currently on Parliament's petitions website. The Whakatāne District Grey Power Association has started a petition on the Parliament website for the Government to prioritise funding for a second bridge in Whakatāne.
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2 weeks ago | 
nzherald.co.nz | Diane McCarthy
Alexander “Sandy” Milne looks over a few of the many letters and articles he has written to the Beacon in recent years, critical of the council. Photo / Troy BakerWhakatāne resident Alexander “Sandy” Milne is planning to stand for council in this year’s local elections, in spite of being one month short of his 91st birthday. Milne expected to be “good for another three years”, but said he only had 10 more years left in his “long-life Scottish public service battery”.
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3 weeks ago | 
nzherald.co.nz | Diane McCarthy
Bay of Plenty Regional Council Kohi Māori ward councillor Toi Iti. Photo / Te Rangimoaho ItiBay of Plenty regional councillor Toi Iti plans to vacate his Kōhi Māori ward seat at this year’s local election to contest the general councillor position currently held by Doug Leeder. Leeder, the regional council’s chairman and East Coast general ward constituency councillor, announced his plans to vacate his seat this week.
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3 weeks ago | 
stuff.co.nz | Karanama Ruru |Chris Marriner |Diane McCarthy
Further cuts have been made to the proposed rates increase for Carterton. Carterton District Council is to meet on Wednesday to adopt its 2025-26 Annual Plan and with it an average rates rise of 5.4%. It was originally signalled to be a 13% rise as per the council’s Long-Term Plan, and then more recently 8.6%. Last month, councillors criticised the impact of the 8.6% rise as urban ratepayers were likely to cop twice that due to a change in how water depreciation was set to be funded.
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3 weeks ago | 
nzherald.co.nz | Diane McCarthy
A two-door coupe style vehicle was found in the Tauranga River at Wardlaw Glade. A rusting car body found in a popular swimming hole is just one of many cars the Bay of Plenty Regional Council may have to pull out of rivers this year. The two-door coupe-style car is lying in the Tauranga River at Waimana’s Wardlaw Glade, about 20km south of Whakatāne, and it was accompanied by an assortment of whiteware and other rubbish dumped at the swimming spot’s car park.
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3 weeks ago | 
nzherald.co.nz | Diane McCarthy
Whakatāne District Council is prepared to look at forming a multi-council CCO to manage water services, but whether any other councils are prepared to join it is unclear. No other councils wanting to partner with Whakatāne District Council is among the most common reasons given by submitters for preferring the council go it alone in its three waters delivery. The council received 84 submissions on options for its Water Service Delivery Plan from individuals and organisations.
