Lois Williams
Homelessness plagues Dargaville
Families are sleeping in their cars as the Auckland halo effect catches up in Dargaville. A serious shortage of houses is causing great concern, in a town that's never had a problem with homelessness… Video, Audio
Aucklanders now putting the squeeze on housing in Dargaville
A Dargaville church leader is calling for help to tackle a new problem of homelessness in the town. Our Northland reporter Lois Williams has been covering this. Audio
Are Whangarei voters keen on voting for Shane Jones?
Folk in Whangarei are certainly keen on Shane - but not necessarily Shane Jones. Audio
Northland luxury resort's water plans angers Maori, landowners
A luxury resort north of Whangarei want to take water from a local stream to water its lawns, but is facing opposition from neighbours and local iwi who say it has already damaged the stream's ecology… Audio
Lions visitors fillip for Waitangi after national welcome wows
It's been a fortnight since the British and Irish Lions tour roared through Northland and still the Waitangi grounds, which played host to the official welcome, is proving a hit with the team's… Audio
Ombudsman backs MPI re swamp kauri land privacy
In a break from tradition, the Ombudsman has ruled that the Ministry for Primary Industries no longer has to reveal the locations where swamp kauri is being extracted. That's in contrast to what's… Audio
Hundertwasser gets the green light after nearly 25 years
Funding is finally in place to turn revered Austrian artist Hundertwasser's design to transform an old building in Whangarei into a reality. Audio
Woman living in cold, damp bus after surgery
A Northland woman has been living in a bus while she recovers from hip replacement surgery. Audio
Insight: Meth - the Human Cost of a Hit
The rise in methamphetamine use in New Zealand is breaking up families, piling the pressure on schools, mental health workers, police and rehabilitation clinics. RNZs Northland reporter, Lois Williams… Audio
Minister admits slim chance of eradicating myrtle rust fungus
Myrtle rust fungus has the potential to wipe out or seriously damage native trees, including manuka, along with feijoas and guavas. Video, Audio
Rest home manager appalled at threat to deport worker
A Far North resthome is fighting to keep a Filipino staff member who's been given just two days to get out of the country - despite being in the job for 10 years. Audio
Principals threaten suspension over behavioural funding
Northland primary school principals issue an ultimatum: give us more funding to deal with behavioural problems or we'll have to start suspending students, as Lois Williams reports. Audio
Northland principal struggles to deal with disruptive children
Principals in Northland say schools are simply not being funded to give seriously troubled children what they need - whether it's a full-time teacher aide or psychological help. Brendon Morrissey from… Audio
Maori grannies call for conservation orders over rivers
Environmental groups are backing the call by a group of Maori grandmothers for conservation orders over more than three dozen South Island rivers. Audio
Karikari locals oppose lease of reserve by Chinese firm
Residents of the Karikari peninsula in the Far North are trying to block the lease of a public reserve to a Chinese developer, Carrington Jade, which also owns the Top Ten Holiday Park. People are… Audio
Northland police defend handling of youth crime spree
Kaikohe locals say they've had a gutsful of youth in the town after a gang of youngsters raided a liquor store and broke into the town's Mobil station at the weekend. Audio
More crime and chaos hits Northland leaving locals frustrated
Northlanders are fed up with the crime and chaos in the region and want an end to the violence, often allegedly caused by young teens. Audio
High Court rejects swamp kauri export complaint
The High Court has reject a claim by a Northland conservation group that the Ministry for Primary Industries was allowing the highly priced timber to be exported unlawfully. The Society says big slabs… Audio
Hundertwasser project could still fail, fundraiser says
The trust raising funds for a Hundertwasser Art Gallery in Whangarei is warning the 16-million dollar project could still fall at the last hurdle. Audio
Dairy owner angry at home detention sentence for robbers
A Northland dairy owner who has been held up nine times in 13 years says it's not fair the people who robbed him were given home detention. Audio
