GISBORNE residents can enjoy a sausage, some entertainment and thank the district’s hard-working St John volunteers this Saturday, through Bunnings’ inaugural New Zealand Volunteer Fundraiser Barbecue. As part of the national event, a fundraising...

THE tsunami risk for Gisborne is lower than estimated in previous reports but we are still up there as one of the most at-risk areas in New Zealand, experts say. Dr William Power and Nick Horspool from GNS Science presented a new report on potential...

To support local theatres, The War Memorial Theatre Trust has established an endowment fund at The Sunrise Foundation. The trust began in 2012 with the goal of raising $5 million towards renovations for the theatre. With the help of Trust Tairāwhiti...

The weather gods have conspired against Gisborne Tatapouri Fishing Club for the second consecutive major contest. The club today confirmed tomorrow's opening day of the Liquorland Marlin and Tuna tournament has been called off. However, club president...

Judge gives young offender ‘your last opportunity’

Hawke's Bay freelance journalist Kate Taylor still vividly remembers the agony of crossing the line at the end of the gruelling agri-sports challenge in her only Young Farmer of the Year regional final. Now she has produced a book about the...

High-profile brain researchers and neuroscientists will be in Gisborne next weekend at the A and P Show. They will be at the Mātai Research Institute tent, available to talk about psychiatric disorders and dementia, among other issues. Among them...

Need some ideas for keeping the kids busy over the term break? Holidays can be a great time to bond with your children and even let your inner child come out to play. But it can also be a stressful time when kids can misbehave because of boredom...

Gisborne city firefighters turned out four appliances in response to more than a dozen calls as a result of the thunder and lightning storm that swept across the city late yesterday afternoon. The calls were to fire alarm activations and to some...

THE prosecution of a Ruatoria dog owner after a serious attack is a first for Gisborne District Council and should be a warning to other dog owners, said chief executive Judy Campbell. She was commenting on a report giving an overview of enforcement...

A woman’s refusal to give her partner sole custody of their child so he could claim bigger benefit payments, sparked violence and repeated threats by him to murder her, Gisborne District Court has heard. During two months last year, David Cornelius...

WHILE Helen Clark has Government support in her bid for the top job at the United Nations (UN), there are concerns here about her record on indigenous rights. Gisborne’s Tina Ngata, an environmentalist and indigenous rights advocate, made a trip to...

A teacher accused of indecently assaulting a student told a jury students often stayed at his house and physical embraces were commonplace between teachers and students at his school. The man was on trial this week in Gisborne District Court for...

The heavy rain warning for the ranges between Gisborne and Bay of Plenty has been lifted. Gisborne District Council civil defence training assistant Paul Stuart was not aware of any issues overnight. The top 10 sites for most rainfall recorded during...

A second rocket is expected to blast into space from Mahia within the next few months on the back of extensive investigations into why the first test vehicle’s flight had to be terminated before it reached orbit. Rocket Lab’s second Electron...

One in four pools in Tairāwhiti are overdue for inspection as Gisborne District Council struggles with staff number issues. According to information released by the council, there are 561 active pools (including spas) on its books, 142 of which are...

This Friday is International Day of Older Persons and the Tairawhiti Positive Ageing Trust is urging people to take part. Trustee Judy Livingston said October 1 was a day to honour older people, shed light on the issues faced by older people, and...

I love dogs but sometimes dog owners bring their “best friend” into inappropriate locations with no intention of being responsible about cleaning up their poo. I wrote the following poem on Tuesday after experiencing a repeat situation within...

From Manutuke School, YMP and provincial representatives sides to playing for the New Zealand Parliamentary team in London. That is where netball has taken Labour’s Ikaroa-Rawhiti MP Meka Whaitiri, who is in the Parly Ferns team to take on the...

“Love came down at Christmas” and it certainly did on Christmas Day at the Kaiti Mall. We were worried about the weather because, without being able to be outside, we would not have enough seating. Thanks to Earnest and the congregation of the...

A SIX-month project to restore the dune and build a retaining wall in front of the Midway Surf Club was completed last week.“Volunteers from the surf club and Gisborne District Council worked together on this project, which has made a huge...

Gisborne District Council has not given up trying to bring changes to the Government's Three Waters reforms. Mayor Rehette Stoltz says she is continuing to advocate on behalf of the Tairāwhiti community concerning the Government's controversial...

Re: Unless Pakeha majority are prepared to yield . . . September 2 letter. Bullseye Joe, you hit the nail on the head. Currently the GDC election and selection process is flawed and based on race. It is a mechanism that furthers the interests of...

A Wairoa family has vowed to continue to fight to stay on land they believe is “rightfully” theirs despite the High Court ruling police can break down their doors and arrest them in a week’s time. Bruce Smith, wife Ruby and children Kresle...

A cannabis dealer led police on a 20-kilometre, high-speed chase before abandoning his vehicle and trying to run off with a rubbish bag full of drugs and $24,000, Gisborne District Court has heard. William Taiapa, 38, was sentenced by Judge Warren...

Last Friday and Saturday Debbie Rowlands and I judged the Chanel Shield interschool debates hosted this year by Campion College. I've always enjoyed judging the local high school debates and speeches because I get to see fresh ideas from young...

Scientific bore drilling in Ūawa is complete, the result of a historic aquifer agreement made last year. In December, a memorandum of understanding was signed between Te Aitanga ā Hauiti and the Gisborne District Council, creating a partnership for...

This week we will have our last committee meetings before the election. On Wednesday at 9am we have our Community Development meeting. Conrad Lewis will be making a public deputation in regards to the Gardner Place tree removal proposal. In the body...

A 72-year-old facing allegations of historic child sex offending was refused name suppression by a judge in Gisborne District Court this week. Rana William Ronald Hiha, taxi driver, denies the allegations and has elected trial by jury. His pleas of...

Absolutely, without any doubt, climate change should be the “lens over everything” when making plans for Tairawhiti. I'm also pleased Tony repeated his concern about the serious absence of commitment in his What's On In Council column by pushing...