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Local Democracy Reporting
Local Democracy Reporting headlines with summaries.
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Local elections chief raises alarm over voter roll anomalies
26 Feb 2026A top elections specialist says a government inquiry must get to the bottom of major electoral roll anomalies during the 2025 local election.
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Study tackles growing dementia concerns among Māori
26 Feb 2026A hui brought whānau together to kōrero about recognising the signs and symptoms of dementia, understanding contributing and protective factors, and exploring ways to slow the progression.
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Auckland mayor defends funding model as local boards face $6m shortfall
26 Feb 2026A ward councillor claims the Mayor's Office had assured her multiple times last year that funding would be found to help local boards fill the gap.
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Collapsed Metlink train parts provider still owes employees wages
25 Feb 2026Staff are yet to see a cent for their last weeks of work.
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Work starts on first Ngāmotu marae for two centuries
25 Feb 2026The hapū of Te Ātiawa is ready to build its marae overlooking Ngāmotu beach and Port Taranaki and out to sea.
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Who wants to be Napier's deputy mayor now? Five say 'no thanks'
25 Feb 2026The mayor has suddenly stood down his deputy.
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'We want to get it back to what it was': Mauao faces long, costly road to reopening
25 Feb 2026A January storm caused more than 40 landslides on the mountain, with the worst taking six lives when it hit the holiday park below.
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Seven albatrosses among scores of sea birds grounded by last week's storm
24 Feb 2026"We knew something was going to happen, but we didn't expect it to be as bad as it has been."
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Breakdown of trust: Napier mayor removes his deputy
24 Feb 2026The unprecedented breakdown between the pair played out in full public view, with Sally Crown saying McGrath's decision-making was "ad-hoc", "reckless" and "chaotic".
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'Shuffled out of sight': Councillor condemns move-on powers
24 Feb 2026The government's move "falls well short of the standards of decency that Whanganui aims for", says a local councillor.
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New furniture disposal policy follows Wellington mayoral desk paper leak
24 Feb 2026A man who bought an old mayoral desk found 231 documents dated between 1988 and 2004, spanning the terms of four mayors inside.
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Contactless cards coming to Canterbury buses
24 Feb 2026Pensioners can continue riding for free on buses on the Greater Christchurch Metro network in offpeak times, but will eventually need to load their SuperGold card to a contactless card.
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Hot pools and hotels? Bold ideas for Kaikōura's waterfront
23 Feb 2026The Kaikōura District Council is considering establishing a joint venture company with Te Rūnanga o Kaikōura and a private developer to redevelop the Wakatu Quay waterfront site.
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Metlink fares to rise by 3.1 percent, off-peak discount drops again
20 Feb 2026It will be more expensive to travel on Wellington's public transport later this year.
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‘If the stars align, boom!’: Ngā Wairiki-Ngāti Apa bets on green energy
20 Feb 2026Ngā Wairiki-Ngāti Apa is staking its claim in NZ's clean energy future, backing a 280-megawatt green hydrogen and methanol project that could deliver climate gains, generational returns and long-term…
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Fears erosion to worsen if nursery subsidies cut
20 Feb 2026A successful erosion scheme subsidised by Hawke's Bay Regional Council since the early 1980s is in the spotlight as the council looks to reduce rate pressure.
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No right turns: Masterton traffic change recommended
20 Feb 2026Masterton businesses are struggling to predict the impact of a traffic change at one of the town's most popular shopping precincts.
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Permanent holiday booze bans at coastal hotspots on the cards
20 Feb 2026A report said it was time to consider if New Year's Eve and Labour weekend should be permanently dry in public places in two townships.
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Charity requests $30k to keep Pacific seniors gatherings running
22 Feb 2026The monthly events attract between 100 and 150 seniors. They include a free Pacific buffet lunch and activities such as bingo, line dancing, and guest speakers.
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'Work with us, not against us': Fishing group slams Greenpeace salmon stunt
20 Feb 2026Protesters defaced the large statue, just weeks after a $300,000 ratepayer-funded refurbishment.
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Budget blowout for new Rangiora road
19 Feb 2026The cost of a long-awaited North Canterbury road has almost doubled, meaning ratepayers face footing a bigger bill.
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'Full circle': No housing for Parau Farms as city reverts to sports field plan
19 Feb 2026Tauranga City Council is abandoning plans for housing on land it bought in Bethlehem 25 years ago.
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Bluebridge commits to Picton for another four decades
18 Feb 2026The announcement follows work that started last month on infrastructure upgrades to accommodate the government's new ferries when they arrive in 2029.
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Problematic Porirua landfill could close in less than five years
18 Feb 2026It's a proposal that would spell the end of decades of foul smells that troubled the neighbouring Wellington suburb of Tawa.
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