Cable Thieves Pose as Maintenance Workers

Thieves in Newton Park, Gqeberha, recently executed a large-scale copper cable theft by posing as a municipal maintenance crew, according to local reports. Over the course of a weekend, the group replaced approximately 200 meters of copper power lines with cheaper aluminum conductors, leading the municipality to open a formal investigation into vandalism and unlawful … Read more

Failed Weiti Bay Project: Land to be Sold to Recover $67M Debt

The Weiti Bay housing project, a 909-hectare coastal development north of Auckland, remains stalled in a high-stakes legal battle as creditors seek to recover more than $67 million in debt. Following a May Court of Appeal ruling, control of the land is now subject to an expressions-of-interest process managed by administrators, as warring parties contest … Read more

Hawke’s Bay Mum Files Complaint Over Missed ‘Failure to Thrive’ Diagnosis

A Hawke’s Bay mother has launched a formal complaint with the Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC) after her infant daughter was hospitalized twice for “failure to thrive,” a condition she alleges went unmonitored by her Tamariki Ora provider. The infant, Soleia, lost 400 grams in three days and dropped to the second percentile in growth, … Read more

Bay of Plenty Rent Growth Cools Amid Market Shifts

Rental markets in Tauranga and Rotorua are showing signs of stabilization as tenants become increasingly price-sensitive amid ongoing cost-of-living pressures. While coastal suburbs like Mount Maunganui and Pāpāmoa remain the most expensive, with weekly rents averaging between $735 and $740, property managers report that rental growth has slowed significantly across the Bay of Plenty over … Read more

Bay of Plenty Unemployment Hits New Zealand High as National Rate Drops

Bay of Plenty’s unemployment landscape is shifting as businesses grapple with rising operational costs and economic uncertainty, according to Infometrics chief executive Brad Olsen. While employment numbers grew by 9,200 year-on-year to reach 185,000, the region’s labor market is struggling to absorb an increasing number of job seekers. Economists and local business leaders attribute this … Read more

Temu Flashcards Shock Hawke’s Bay Mum with Inappropriate Content

For many shoppers navigating the current cost-of-living crisis, online marketplaces have become a go-to destination for affordable goods. However, one family’s recent purchase of educational flashcards from Temu resulted in an unexpected lesson that had little to do with standard curriculum. Loren Cudd, who purchased the flashcards to help her three-year-old son, Izayah, learn about … Read more

Women supporting women: Pregnancy Help marks five years helping 8000 Hawke’s Bay families

Hawke’s Bay’s Pregnancy Help: Five Years of Community-Driven Support and a Vision for the Future A remarkable milestone has been reached in Hawke’s Bay, Recent Zealand, as Pregnancy Help Hastings & Napier celebrates five years of dedicated service to expectant mothers and families. What began as a humble initiative in a midwife’s laundry room has … Read more

Push for cat curfew in Hawke’s Bay: ‘You’re either on the side of the birds or the predators’

Urgent action is needed to protect dotterel populations, with advocates calling for increased responsibility from cat owners and potential bylaws regulating pet ownership. The call comes as conservationists report declining breeding pairs and a risk of local extinction for the birds. Dotterel Decline and Predation A spokesperson, Barker, stated that “Whatever it takes is what … Read more

‘Just unaffordable’: Rising prices push Hawke’s Bay families away from red meat

The Shrinking Sunday Roast: How Rising Meat Prices Are Reshaping Kiwi Dinner Tables For generations, the Sunday roast has been a cornerstone of Kiwi family life. But a quiet revolution is underway in kitchens across New Zealand, driven by a simple, stark reality: meat is becoming increasingly unaffordable. From families scaling back portion sizes to … Read more

Year in Review: Bay of Plenty veteran truck driver Terry Hobart reflects on 30-year career

The Long Haul: How a Changing Landscape is Shaping the Future of Trucking and Beyond Terry Hobart’s story, a life spent behind the wheel traversing the Bay of Plenty, Waikato, and Auckland, isn’t just a personal reflection – it’s a microcosm of a profession undergoing seismic shifts. His eventual departure, prompted by a life-altering crash … Read more