Bay of Plenty Times

‘We’re losing too many men’

A Tauranga prostate cancer survivor says “too many men” are dying from the disease, amid calls for a national screening programme. Meanwhile, a Rotorua widow whose husband died from prostate cancer in 2024 says a screening programme will save lives,...

Homeless woman's dog put down by council

Ahomeless woman’s dog impounded during a police and council operation has been put down despite public offers to pay for his registration. Tauranga City Council acknowledged there were offers but claimed the dog’s owner did not provide other...

Why this region pays more for power

There are fresh calls for an investigation into Tauranga’s electricity market as local consumers face the highest prices in New Zealand. Data shows the average Tauranga consumer pays 9.1% more for power than the national average, with the city’s...

‘Time to pull the pin’

The “iconic” Crown and Badger pub has poured its last pint. The pub has been operating on The Strand in Tauranga’s CBD for 26 years and shut its doors for good on Sunday. It entered voluntary liquidation on Wednesday. Owner/operator Jessica Mackenzie...

Tauranga passenger rail push gaining steam

Apush for a future passenger rail station and service in Tauranga is gaining momentum after strong interest in the Kaimai Express. The heritage excursion on May 2 from Auckland to Tauranga marked the first passenger service on the route in 14...

Why the Bay of Plenty has grown more ‘sceptical’ towards migrants

The Bay of Plenty is the most “sceptical” region in the country towards migrants, a new report says. The new Helen Clark Foundation Social Cohesion report, which surveyed 2882 people last year, showed 45% of Bay residents believed immigration levels...

Cremation fees drive families to Waikato

Some Tauranga families are taking their loved ones outside the city for cremations because it is cheaper, funeral directors say. It comes as Tauranga City Council proposes changes to its cemetery fees to stem a growing financial deficit. The council...

How new big-brand hotel could boost city

The “gateway” to the Bay of Plenty is getting its first internationally branded hotel, with city leaders saying it will boost the conference sector and attract more international visitors. Mercure Tauranga opened in the city’s centre on Friday,...

‘WOULD MEAN EVERYTHING TO ME’

Ollie Hatchby is making waves on the international jet sport circuit, with his sights now set on the world finals in the United States. The fulltime Mainfreight 2IC storeman began racing at 15, shortly after moving from Invercargill to the Bay of...

Fears medical services could ‘disappear’

ABay of Plenty medical centre has warned it may have to increase fees, cut opening hours and reduce services if it loses its rural funding contract. Katikati Medical Centre, about 40 minutes’ drive north of Tauranga, receives Government funding...

All Blacks Sevens player has drink-driving conviction quashed

An All Blacks Sevens player has lost his bid for permanent name suppression, but has been given a discharge without conviction for his second drink-driving offence. Ngarohi McGarvey-Black, who is based in the Bay of Plenty, was stopped by police while...

Inconvenienced

This might be Bay of Plenty’s most controversial public loo. The single unisex toilet in an Omokoroa ¯ reserve has generated hours of debate, reports, a public meeting, a petition and a complaint after a woman spent 20 distressing minutes trapped...

Not worth fixing

Twelve social housing units in Tauranga will be demolished after “significant damage” to the buildings’ structural integrity was found. Another nine adjacent state housing properties will be sold after leaky building issues were found. Social and...

AN EMOTIONAL ANZAC JOURNEY

Flight NZ101 will travel its normal route from Auckland to Sydney today but it will also take on a special meaning from the normal jump across the ditch. The Air New Zealand flight will be commemorating fallen soldiers in a collaboration with the...

Massive Fonterra pay day to flood Bay

About $320 million from the sale of Fonterra’s dairy brands is landing in the bank accounts of Bay of Plenty farmers in a “once-ina-lifetime” payout. Farmers are considering new kitchens, giving family members a “helping hand” and maybe buying a new...

‘Your income stays, ours doesn’t’

Mount Maunganui businesses facing ongoing financial pain after January’s slip have demanded better council support and communication in a heated meeting. Mayor Mahe´ Drysdale called Tauranga City Council’s information session for businesses, held at...

‘What’s next?’ Anxiety on the rise following tornado, storm events

Anxiety is high and people are asking “what’s next”, a Tauranga councillor says, after a tornado damaged homes, a marae and parks on Sunday. It was the latest severe weather event for the city this year after the Cyclone Vaianu scare the prior weekend,...

‘Like a freight train’

A Welcome Bay home owner is counting her blessings after a tornado ripped through her family home “like a freight train leaving a trail of destruction”. Jo Logan and her wife have spent the past two days surveying the damage after a tornado tore...

RIVER TRAGEDY

Two people have died after a water-related incident in the Tarawera River near Kawerau’s Boyce Park. Emergency services were called to the scene about 11.30am yesterday after a report of a party becoming “stuck under a bank”. Eastern Bay of Plenty...

Magic vs Mystics

The Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic will bring one of the ANZ Premiership’s most anticipated rivalry fixtures to Tauranga for the first time this weekend. The Hobbiton Cup will be on the line when the Magic take on the Northern Mystics at Mercury Baypark...

New subdivision for Pyes Pa orchard site

ATauranga kiwifruit orchard will be cleared to make way for a planned 75-home subdivision. Classic Group has bought the orchard at the end of Inverness Drive in Pyes Pa and is planning to lodge resource consent with Tauranga City Council for a 75-lot...

Tauranga short thousands of homes City’s social housing waitlist grows

Tauranga remains short of thousands of homes, and the city’s social housing waitlist has climbed by about 200 applicants in almost a decade. The council says an assessment shows it was short of an estimated 4950 to 5950 dwellings as of 2024. This...

CYCLONE CHAOS

■ Region hit hard as Cyclone Vaianu sweeps through ■ Residents in coastal and low-lying areas told to evacuate ■ Highways closed across region ■ Thousands without power Cyclone Vaianu has caused chaos across the Bay of Plenty and forced people to...

ROUGH WATERS

The trust between two Bay of Plenty councils appeared frayed after the councillors spent more than five hours in debates before narrowly agreeing to form a shared water services organisation. Tauranga City Council and Western Bay of Plenty District...

‘IT’S A MENACE’

Aretiree bitten by a roaming dog says it is “only luck” the attack was not far more serious, and fears it could happen again if the “menacing” dog is not found. Judith Wagstaff approached the Bay of Plenty Times after reading about the death of Bella,...

‘Bold and unique’

It’s been 14 months since Nomu Matcha launched, but the journey from having “s*** matcha” at a London cafe to building an award-winning Bay of Plenty business has been anything but slow. Mother and daughter cofounders, Karen Parsons and Tessa...

Law and opportunity

Tauranga legal firms are grappling with ongoing recruitment pressures in a competitive market. Experienced professionals are flying the coop for overseas work and higher salaries. However, local lawyers and hiring managers say the city offers complex...

Dog owners left in dark Owner says attack dog has ‘more rights’ than they do

‘The dog that attacked and injured our dog has more rights than we do.” That is how an Otū ¯ moetai couple say they felt after learning Tauranga City Council would not disclose the fate of a large dog that attacked their 6-year-old cavoodle on February...

RETAIL REVIVAL

High-profile retailers are moving, expanding or closing in Tauranga as they seize opportunities and aim to meet customer needs. Big names at Chapel St, Bethlehem and Tauranga Crossing are moving or being replaced. Vacant CBD retail space dropped from...

Music, sports, and culture:

After a rainy Easter weekend last year, sunshine is forecast for the start of this year’s long weekend as music, sport, and Easter-themed events take place across Tauranga. About 15,000 people are expected to attend the Tauranga Jazz Festival which is...

‘Stealing from the future’

A Tauranga iwi wants greater restoration and protection of the taiao (environment) as the Bay of Plenty Regional Council proposes changing how its $3 billion investment portfolio is managed. Ngāti Pūkenga Iwi says the current strategy is “stealing...

Bay’s baby bump

Birth rates in the Bay of Plenty have risen in the past decade, but experts say rising living costs are “without a doubt” reshaping residents’ family plans. According to the latest data from Stats NZ, 57,705 live births were registered in New Zealand...

Council proposes to slash cremation fees

The cost of a cremation in Tauranga is in line for a big cut amid concern bereaved families are going out of town for cheaper services. In a meeting on Tuesday, the council approved its draft user fees and charges for 2026/27 for public...

Rain lashes region

Wild weather has closed roads and caused slips across the region. MetService updated its heavy rain warning for the Bay of Plenty west of Whakatāne at 11am yesterday. It warned streams and rivers could rise rapidly and surface flooding, slips and...

‘Game-changer’

After four years of construction, the $90 million Pāpāmoa East Interchange is set to open soon, with travellers eagerly anticipating shortened commutes. Less eagerly anticipated is the prospect of a new tolling point, which the Government confirmed...

Te Puke house destroyed by fire

‘Get out!” Christian Grey yelled at his “in shock” neighbours as flames rapidly “engulfed” their home in Te Puke. Fire crews battled the house fire on Boucher Ave in Te Puke for five hours from 5pm on Tuesday. A Fire and Emergency New Zealand...

‘A lot of fun with words’

Dame Lynley Dodd is a staple of Kiwi childhoods. The beloved children’s author is best known for her series, the first of which was released more than 40 years ago. She’s sold millions of books worldwide, and just this week she was honoured at the...

Rural retreats riding wellness boom

Rural Bay of Plenty boutique accommodation owners are angling for a slice of the billion-dollar wellness tourism pie by marketing their properties as unplugged nature retreats. Tourism Industry Aotearoa says wellness tourism business is forecast to...

Barber turning cuts into change

Fresh from winning business and community awards, a young Tauranga barbershop owner is being recognised for the impact he is having far beyond cutting hair. Spencer McNeil’s real influence is measured in the lives he’s helped change. For 21-year-old...

DOUBLE VISION

If you think you’re seeing double at Otūmoetai Primary School, you’re probably right. The Tauranga school has 13 sets of twins on the roll and a 14th pair starting next term. Principal Zara McIndoe said she started counting when a teacher realised...

‘It breaks your heart’

Verron Tarawa faces losing his wife and son. Melissa Tarawa has metastatic breast cancer, and their 10-year-old Grayson has “incurable and progressive” kidney disease. The couple have had to come to terms with the fact that “one day we will bury our...

Government sets terms for inquiry into deadly landslides

The Government has agreed on the scope and membership for its inquiry into the deadly landslides in Tauranga, with a report expected by December. Eight people died in two landslides on January 22 following extreme weather. A grandmother and grandson...

Aollege team headed for world robotics champs Mum’s tragedy exposes critical hospital delays HDC finds five-hour wait for caesarean likely contributed to newborn’s death

Afirst-time mother whose newborn died after a delayed delivery wants a “safer Aotearoa for future mothers and pēpi”. The woman, who was 29 at the time and pregnant for the first time through in vitro fertilisation, twice visited Tauranga Hospital in...

Bay’s deadly waters

The coastlines and waterways that define Bay of Plenty summers have been revealed as some of the nation’s most hazardous drowning areas. Water Safety New Zealand’s 2025 Drowning Report identifies Mount Maunganui and Pāpāmoa as a single high-risk...

19,000 jobs

‘When the kiwifruit sector wins, the entire Bay of Plenty wins.” That is according to Tauranga Business Chamber chief executive Matt Cowley as this year’s record-breaking kiwifruit harvest begins. The kiwifruit season spans March to June. It begins...

Victim fears for community safety as privacy rules block answers on dog investigation

AMount Maunganui woman hospitalised after a violent dog attack says she is “disgusted” and “traumatised” after learning Tauranga City Council will not prosecute the dog’s owner. The victim, who works in the education sector and asked not to be named,...

Find out what’s on in the region

MARCH Wednesday, February 11 to Wednesday, March 25: ° OBOP Rotorua Summer Nav Series runs every Wednesday with 60-minute rogaines at different Rotorua parks and neighbourhoods. Start anytime between 4.15pm and 7pm; suitable for individuals, families...

NOT HERE

Amedical centre in a beach town is going back to the drawing board after withdrawing its proposal to build an expanded facility on a public reserve in the face of public opposition. Primary Health Care Limited (PHCL) submitted a proposal to the...

‘I just want people not to forget him’

Heartbroken and exhausted by years of uncertainty, Karen Holland is issuing a desperate plea for answers on the fourth anniversary of her son’s disappearance. David Phillip Holland, a Tauranga Hospital anaesthetist registrar, was last seen at his...

Out with a bang?

Fireworks could be banned on Tauranga beaches, along with other public city spaces such as roads and reserves. But a woman whose horse had to be put down after a fireworks incident believes the move would not significantly reduce fireworks harm, and...

Fewer empty stores in Tauranga CBD, more Mount vacancies

Tauranga’s CBD is showing signs of recovery, with fewer empty shops and rising retailer optimism. The number of vacant retail spaces has increased across Tauranga and Mount Maunganui, with the exception of the CBD, according to Colliers Tauranga’s...

Dog attack probe delay deepens grief for family

As the anniversary of Timothy Tu’uaki RollestonBryan’s death approaches, his grieving grandparents say they are feeling “angry and upset” that the police investigation into the fatal dog attack remains open. Four-year-old Timothy, also known as...

$400m Tauranga housing project to include 200-unit retirement village

Plans for a 200-unit retirement village have been announced as part of a $400 million housing development in Tauranga. Earthworks began last year for Classic Developments’ Riverside development at its Tauriko West site, comprising 1200 lots. Classic...

Dangerous moves

Cars are stopping in passing lanes to turn right on a major highway and causing crashes due to a lack of turning bays, locals and MPs say. A 100km/h passing lane ending just past a primary school is another safety concern on State Highway 29 near...

What next for Mauao

Tauranga Mayor Mahe´ Drysdale says he remains confident Mauao will reopen despite the extensive damage to the landmark in January’s deadly storm. Tauranga City Council has concluded its assessment of the damage and Drysdale said now they know what...

Find out What’s On in the region

Friday, February 27: ● Blindspott return to Mercury Baypark, Mount Maunganui from 7.30pm to 11.30pm with classic anthems and new hits from Volumes, joined by I Am Giant. Tickets $87.04-$97.29, R18. ● Avis Magic vs Stars pre-season game at the Energy...

Mount beach estate linked to Miss NZ contest under offer

Lifeguards wait on slip risk call to reopen club

Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service will continue operations without its clubhouse as the building remains red-placarded a month on from the fatal landslide on Mauao. The club says it is in a “holding pattern” waiting for further information before any...

Western Bay councillors top NZ pay rise table

western Bay of Plenty District councillors have topped a national pay rise table with a jump of almost 57% in a year. The Taxpayers’ Union described the increase as “so far out of touch”, but the district’s mayor says the factors the change reflects...

Back to sports hub plan for Parau Farms

Tauranga City Council is abandoning plans for housing on land it bought in Bethlehem 25 years ago. The council has instead gone “full circle” to again wanting to use the 22ha Parau Farms — Pō teriwhi — site for the original purpose it was purchased...

Memorials held for the ‘big guardian of downtown’

Memorials have been held for a well-known Tauranga homeless man found dead on Saturday. Dax Rodney Holland’s body was discovered in a secluded area of Wharepai Domain. Police yesterday said they had arrested a man and charged him with...

‘I try to say it how it is’

Newly appointed Assistant Commissioner Tim Anderson should have been cleaning out his desk and preparing for his next big career move in his final two weeks of working as Bay of Plenty’s police district commander. Instead, he found himself fronting a...

Runs in the family

University city vision

The University of Waikato has made significant property deals in Tauranga as it progresses “ambitious plans” to grow its Durham St campus. The university has bought the nearby Bongard Centre and soon-tobe-former Craigs Investment Partners building on...

Arrest in Bay of Plenty kiwifruit tax scam

Police have charged a Bay of Plenty man for allegedly kidnapping a “money mule” who threatened to expose a multimillion-dollar tax fraud scheme in the kiwifruit industry. A Herald investigation previously revealed that more than $3 million went...

‘Painful recovery’

Mount business owners directly impacted by the deadly Mauao landslide want the council and Government to do more to help keep their businesses afloat in the coming months. Adams Ave businesses told the Bay of Plenty Times that Tauranga’s Mayoral...

‘GOD OPENED THE DOORS FOR THIS’

For much of Daniela Brown’s life, her birth family has been a “mystery”. The 38-year-old Tauranga woman was adopted from a Romanian orphanage at age 3 and grew up in Whangaparāoa, Auckland. Her efforts to track down her birth mother and siblings have...

‘Learning lessons’

Mount businesses fight for survival

‘It’s the peak of summer, but it feels like winter has started early.” That’s how Hot Spot Superette owner Saedanwar Rajput describes the impact on his business after his store reopened on Waitangi Day, 15 days after the deadly January 22 Mauao...