Robin Martin
Kāinga Ora admits it could have acted faster on rowdy tenants
Kāinga Ora has admitted it made mistakes and could've acted faster to solve problems with tenants described as 'the neighbours from hell'.
Up to a dozen people lived permanently at the Babich Hills… Audio
Rangatahi celebrate sport, te reo Māori in Taranaki/Whanganui
About 1,000 rangatahi have descended on Taranaki and Whanganui for Te Wiki Hākinakina o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori.
A celebration of sport and te reo Māori, the event is back after a three-year break.
… Audio
Around the motu: Robin Martin in Taranaki
It's been the subject of lengthy legal battles, but progress is being made on the 280 million dollar Mt Messenger bypass project in North Taranaki. Motorists are now able to see a 1.1km cableway being… Audio
Woman moves to campground to get away from Kāinga Ora neighbours
Private property owners are leaving their homes and moving into campervans to get away from unruly Kāinga Ora neighbours.
A Christchurch woman says she sold up to preserve her mental health, while a… Audio
Kainga Ora yet to evict single tenant
Kainga Ora has yet to cancel any tenancies or evict a single tenant since it was instructed to more vigorously employ the law against unruly renters.
But 113 households have moved voluntarily, about… Audio
New Plymouth residents asked to embrace song
New Plymouth residents are being asked to embrace the power of song when seven local choirs hit the streets on Saturday for Taranaki Sings, a part of Spiegel Fest.
More than 200 singers will perform… Audio
Homeowner told to sell to avoid unruly Kāinga Ora neighbours
An Auckland homeowner who says Kāinga Ora advised her to sell up and move to get away from its unruly tenants in her neighbourhood, has taken a complaint to the Ombudsman.
After enduring five years… Audio
Taranaki bucking property price trend
A Covid-19 side effect appears to be behind Taranaki bucking the trend of sliding property prices - at least for now.
While Wellington prices are down more than 13 percent on a year ago according to… Audio
Blind and low vision tours available for Taranaki Garden Fest
For the first time in its 35 year history the Taranaki Garden Festival is offering a tour specifically designed for the blind and those with low vision.
It has teamed up with staff from the Puke… Audio
Woman claims broken promise from Kāinga Ora
Kāinga Ora is under fire again over how it manages disruptive tenants.
A Christchurch woman says the housing agency broke a promise to only house tenants with unblemished records in her… Audio
New Plymouth medical centres turning new patients away
The nationwide shortage of GPs is hitting hard in New Plymouth with not a single practice in the city taking on new patients.
The College of General Practitioners says the situation is critical in… Audio
Church unapologetic about new design at Taranaki Cathedral
The dean of the Taranaki Cathedral is making no apology for the contemporary Māori design of the new Te Whare Hononga recently revealed at its historic New Plymouth site.
The whare, which has been… Audio
Kākā making return to Taranaki
There's a mystery in the air in Taranaki.
It's many years since the distinctive calls of the cheeky native parrot, kākā, have been heard in New Plymouth.
But the bird is back - and the flash of… Audio
New Plymouth woman says Kainga Ora neighbours 'terrorising' street
A New Plymouth family says Kaianga Ora tenants living next door to their elderly mother are making her life a misery and the agency just fobs off their complaints.
The woman, who is about to turn 80… Audio
Praise for first-ever Taranaki Heritage Month
The Race Relations Commissioner has praised the first-ever Taranaki Heritage Month for being brave enough to tackle darker elements of the province's colonial history.
While the event includes tours… Audio
Call for government to save historic nurses home in New Plymouth
Heritage enthusiasts are calling for the government to step in and save the historic Barrett St Nurses Home in New Plymouth.
They say the protected building is falling to pieces while Land… Audio
Pint-sized lawnmowing contractor has edge
It is not everyday that you run into an 11 year old lawnmowing contractor, but then again New Plymouth youngster Kayden Wallis-Potroz is not your everyday kid. The Central Primary School pupil already… Video, Audio
Heavyweight bidders line up for photojournalism charity auction
Heavyweight bidders have been manoeuvring behind the scenes ahead of a charity auction of more than 100 examples of New Zealand's finest photo-journalism.
Major corporates and even representatives of… Audio
Taranaki family's lucky escape as car caught in huge slip
A Taranaki family making a last-minute dash to see a dying relative are lucky to be alive after their car was caught in a massive slip near Urenui on State Highway 3.
Rex Wade was driving family… Audio
Whanganui cat rescued from tree after two-weeks marooned
A Whanganui moggie has used up one of its nine lives after being rescued from a Phoenix palm in Goneville where it's been stuck for about two weeks.
Rio was plucked from the tree this morning after a… Audio