While New Zealand culture is largely influenced by American culture; think fast food, Netflix, hip hop and rap music. One of the best things about our culture is the “unexpected drop in”. This is the friend turning up, unannounced, to check in with you and stay for a coffee. It’s the Sunday afternoon drinks that […]

The government’s proposed $124 million investment in recycling is a “win for employment, climate and environment” says a local Bay of Plenty waste campaigner, Marty Hoffart. Environment minister, Eugenie Sage, has announced the government will be funding new recycling infrastructure and expanding the national waste levy scheme. This plan will see a big increase in […]

Matamata-Piako District Council has been awarded $640,000 from the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) to seal 28km of the Hauraki Rail Trail extension between Te Aroha and Matamata.

American interest in moving to New Zealand has spiked during the coronavirus crisis, with the number of people seeking information on how to emigrate climbing by 65% during May. There has been a similar increase in interest from the United Kingdom with an 18.5% growth of interest. Despite the interest, immigrating to New Zealand is […]

The government has announced ta $265 million sport recovery package as part of the 2020 budget. The first instalment of $80 million will be used to help boost community sport, national leagues and clubs who have been financially hit by Covid-19. $54 million will be distributed in the 2020/2021 financial year.

A group of locals from the Waikato town of Huntly are trying it renamed to its original Maori title of Rāhui Pōkeka. Huntly’s name was changed from Rāhui Pōkeka​, after the first postmaster James Henry arrived in town, information from Waikato’s Coalfield Museum shows. The story goes that either Henry himself, or his boss the […]

A long-planned transformation of the Taupō town centre has been given a $20 million shot in the arm. Taupō Mayor David Trewavas welcomed the “huge boost” saying the council and district were incredibly grateful for it, but also that much work had gone into the planning. The $20 million  will be used for a reorientation […]

Rain clouds have been few and far between this year, but a small silver lining is on the way for drought-stricken Thames Valley farmers. Hauraki District Mayor Toby Adams says the council is now accepting applications to a $250,000 Mayoral Drought Relief Fund provided by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) for partial reimbursement of […]

Hauraki District Council is floating the idea of relocating the 50-year-old world famous in New Zealand L&P bottle. The town’s giant bottle has been such a selfie-magnet that its current location on the eastern outskirts of Paeroa is not maximising its potential to lure dollars out of visitors, some say. Hauraki mayor Toby Adams says […]

After years of driving past the Paeroa Historical Maritime Park on his way to Auckland and wanting to stop, Deputy PM Winston Peters finally paid the place a visit this week. As well as a tour of the park, he received a progress update on a $1.1 million development aimed at boosting tourism in the […]