Stories by Marcus Anselm

Masterton District Council staff will again recommend the removal of the iconic playground tractors despite a renewed public outcry to restore the antique vehicles.

Once again, the local government's workshop culture is under scrutiny after a disgruntled Rotorua ratepayer launched a bid to open the doors on his district's councils, writes Marcus Anselm.

South Wairarapa's Mayor has called the Three Waters reform "a mockery of proper consultation" after the latest round of workshops.

Carterton District Council (CDC) has placed an indefinite boil water notice on the town as the source of the deadly bacteria remains unknown.

Carterton District Council have issued town residents with a 24 hour boil water notice after a positive result for E. coli was discovered.

Masterton's testing centre - which is the closest for Masterton, Carterton districts and most of South Wairarapa district - has wait times of more than 100 days.

Tighter regulation of drinking water standards proposed in a bill in front of Parliament have left Wairarapa's smaller water networks owners calling for changes to the planned laws.

By 2050 some Wairarapa households could see their water bill more than triple if worst-case scenarios for water reform are realised.

South Wairarapa Mayor Alex Beijen has delivered a petition to Parliament on behalf of 33 mayors urging banks to reinstate rural branches across New Zealand.

Water restrictions have tightened in Wairarapa, but relief and rainclouds are on the horizon.

A by-election is imminent in Carterton after councillor Steffen Bertram resigned 15 months into his first term.

New Zealand's leading dog detective is seeking out invasive weeds in Wairarapa's wetlands.

New waste bylaws set for approval in Wairarapa are part of a Wellington regional campaign to tackle three major waste causes: events, construction, and junk mail.

Central government funding will boost library services in Wairarapa with a host of new jobs.

Analysis - Will 2021 be the year the world really values water? If Wall Street sets the tone, it will be, LDR reporter Marcus Anselm writes.

Wairarapa's ageing water network has again been placed under scrutiny and could cause a $97 million headache for its district councils.

Carterton locals are encouraged to contribute to two "significant" consultations for the future of the district, Mayor Greg Lang says.

Water restrictions in Wairarapa are extending across all districts as the area's dry season looms.

Three Waters reforms and resource management changes will shape 2021 as the start of "the most transformative change for decades" a Masterton councillor says.

Even though attempts to merge Wairarapa's three districts floundered in 2017, former Wellington City Council chief Doug Matheson recommends reconsidering the approach.

About $2.5m will be spent to use aerial electromagnetic technology to find and measure hidden water aquifers in the Wairarapa.

A 40-strong crowd of protestors marched against a proposed dam in Wairarapa today.

Rangitāne o Wairarapa leaders have criticised the company behind the proposed Wakamoekau community water storage scheme.

Masterton will likely face water restrictions over Christmas as recent dry weather caused a dip in river water flows.

New roads bypassing Wairarapa towns are not on the radar for local or central government, according to South Wairarapa District Council.