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Hawke's Bay cities in level 3 water restrictions
Hastings and Napier water restrictions have been upgraded to Level 3, meaning sprinkler use is now banned.
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'Take a mask': The popular tourist toilets labelled an 'embarrassment'
15 Dec 2025Whakarewarewa toilets have been labelled an embarrassment, with new facilities planned soon.
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The marine species that have 'totally disappeared' from Marlborough Sounds
12 Dec 2025Of the four ecologically significant species monitored at 16 sites in Queen Charlotte Sound/Tōtaranui, only one remains.
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'Dead duck': Decision looms on contentious Auckland rubbish trial
12 Dec 2025Aucklanders will find out next week if a six month-trial to move the weekly kerbside rubbish collection to fortnightly will go ahead next year.
Local Democracy Reporting headlines with summaries.
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What is Local Democracy Reporting?
31 May 2021Find out more about the scheme and how to become a host newsroom or accredited media partner.
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'Nowhere near enough': A 780-tonne lake weed disaster
12 Dec 2025A funding battle is brewing over lake weed control in Rotorua as the three-week, 780-tonne clean-up of the latest stinky stranding in Lake Rotorua wraps up.
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'Sign of the times': Town's sports day winding up after 116 years
12 Dec 2025A sports event that has woven itself into the fabric of a small Southland town is wrapping up after more than a century.
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Could a design competition help a region in need of houses?
12 Dec 2025Concerns about the rate of intensification in Tasman are causing councillors to consider "creative" solutions on how to encourage uptake.
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Gardeners' close calls with traffic prompt flower bed shake-up
12 Dec 2025Rotorua council will replant high-risk city garden beds after a surge in near-miss incidents.
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"Gross misjudgment and disrespect': Deputy slams Napier mayor's failed committee move
12 Dec 2025Napier's Deputy Mayor Sally Crown said Mayor Richard McGrath's proposal to omit mana whenua from this term's committees had blindsided councillors.
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Nearly 1200 dog-related complaints in Wairarapa over 2024/25 year
11 Dec 2025Animal control officers in Wairarapa councils were kept busy with nearly 1200 dog-related call outs during the last financial year.
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Relief and excitement for new Pekatahi Bridge on SH2
11 Dec 2025Whakatāne Mayor Nandor Tanczos says the government's plan to replace the ageing Pekatahi Bridge shows "a collective push around a unified purpose can really make a difference".
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Summer vigilance urged around pop-up pools
11 Dec 2025A tragedy involving a toddler who drowned in a temporary pool is prompting a fresh warning to Aucklanders to keep safety in mind this summer.
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Mayors face 'tsunami of changes'
11 Dec 2025North Canterbury's mayors have responded to the Government's proposed resource management and local government reforms.
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Hastings is getting 180 new bus stops - not everyone's happy
10 Dec 2025A shake-up of Hawke's Bay's bus network has frustrated some Hastings residents who don't want bus stops installed outside their homes.
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Gisborne flytipping surges more than 50 percent
10 Dec 2025Rubbish left outside the transfer station has cost ratepayers $570,000.
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Rotorua Night Market to return to city centre, ending 'foolish' trial
10 Dec 2025The council has cut short a trial move to Kuirau Park after just two months.
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Cash-strapped councils can't afford SNA compensation
10 Dec 2025A regional councillor who lobbied for years for compensation for landowner affected by SNAs says the government's changes are sound, but case compensation on the West Coast was a "pipe dream".
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Neighbours fume over plans to axe trees for solar farm
10 Dec 2025A council has thrown its support behind residents of a country lane distressed about Genesis Energy's plans.
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Southland's waters warming faster than most
6 Dec 2025While the warmer waters may mean more enjoyable swimming temperatures, continued increases will be detrimental to a wide range of coastal ecosystems, including valued fisheries.
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Govt's feral cat changes 'validate' Nelson, Tasman rules
9 Dec 2025Last month, Conservation Minister Tama Potaka announced feral cats would be added to the Predator Free 2050 strategy.
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One Wairarapa council to rule them all? The mayors' view
7 Dec 2025Wairarapa mayors give their view on a range of changes affecting the future of local government.
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'A gesture of courage': Whanganui hapū celebrate settlement milestone
5 Dec 2025Lead negotiator Ken Mair said the ceremony marked a major milestone in a "long and tiring" Treaty settlement journey.
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Canterbury Tuahiwi School opens new whare for 250 tamariki
5 Dec 2025The new Tūranga Tuarua hall at Te Kura o Tuahiwi allows assemblies, sports, and cultural events for 250 students.
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Controversial flag exhibit stolen from Hastings art gallery
5 Dec 2025A piece of artwork that prompted 101 complaints in a week has now been stolen from a Hastings art gallery.
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Watch: Video offers first glimpse of Wairoa's planned flood spillway
5 Dec 2025After Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023, the Hawke's Bay town was given $70 million of Crown funding to provide the town with protection from future flooding.
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Concerns over Rotorua Night Market trial as sales plummet
The council began the trial in October to save in costs, enable earlier summer trading and address health and safety concerns.
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Health and safety paralysis holding back walkway - volunteers
4 Dec 2025About 100 people crowded into the Whakatāne District Council chambers on Wednesday in a show of support for the restoration of Ōhope Beach's iconic West End walkway.
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