Stories by Natalie Mankelow

The controversial former head of Te Wananga o Aotearoa is trying to take over his iwi's Treaty of Waitangi claim and push it into a High Court battle.

The trial in Indonesia of New Zealander Antony de Malmanche, who could face a death sentence if convicted, is due to begin today.

After it was revealed yesterday synthetic cannabis is being sold from private houses in Tauranga, reports are coming in of its sale elsewhere in the country. Audio

Private houses have been discovered selling synthetic cannabis - confirming predictions the industry is going underground, the Drug Foundation says. Audio

The family of a Rotorua man killed in a forestry accident found out about his death by text message, an inquest has been told. Audio

Kiwifruit orchards in the Bay of Plenty are now selling for the same, or more, than before the deadly PSA disease hit New Zealand. Audio

The Tauranga City Council has begun the job of moving almost 80 percent of its staff after toxic black mould was found in its main buildings. Audio

One of NZ's worst maritime and environmental disasters, the sinking of the Rena near Mt Maunganui, dominated headlines in the Bay of Plenty again in 2014. Audio

An official report into the Rena has found routine violations of procedures and insufficient oversight of safety on the ship before it grounded. Audio

Crown Law has apologised to Bay of Plenty Maori after failing to give them an important report into the Rena container ship that ran aground off the Tauranga coast in 2011. Audio

The Waitangi Tribunal says Motiti Island Maori have been "prejudicially affected" by deals the New Zealand Government signed with the owner of the wrecked container ship Rena.

More than 100 invasive marine pests have been found on a boat in one of Tauranga's most popular swimming spots. The boat has been moored at Pilot Bay for almost a year.

The Crown has withheld highly relevant and crucial information about stricken container ship the Rena from the Waitangi Tribunal, two Motiti Island groups say.

Owners of the container ship Rena have brushed off independent advice which suggests they are grossly exaggerating the time and money it would take to remove the entire wreck. Audio

The personal home of the designer behind Rotorua's famous Bathhouse has been demolished after developers could not find a buyer for it - or even give it away. Audio

A Tauranga radio station which has been on air for 30 years is at risk of closure. Village Radio is a volunteer, non-commercial station which runs out of the city's Historic Village. Audio

The mother of murdered Rotorua girl Nia Glassie has been granted parole and will be released from prison in two weeks. Lisa Michelle Kuka is serving a nine-year manslaughter sentence.

A Motiti Island group is calling for the resignation of the man who acts a planning officer for the remote island, saying he has a conflict of interest over the fate of the wrecked container ship Rena…

The people of Tuhoe have accepted an apology from the Crown for killing their ancestors and brutally taking their land, but say they will never forget what happened. Audio

Police have apologised to the people of Tuhoe for illegal roadblocks and detentions, while still maintaining the 2007 Urewera raids were "necessary". Audio

An officer says the thought someone's grandmother was inside a burning house in Mount Maunganui kept him going with the rescue of an elderly woman. Audio

The Crown has told an urgent Waitangi Tribunal hearing there was pressure to reach a compensation deal with the Rena's owners, as they may have walked away from talks. Audio