Latest from Gisborne

Battle lines drawn for Govt, unions

Faced with increasing resistance to its plans from Māori, the Government will soon find itself fighting on another front with the trade unions. As the second week of its first 100 day programme starts in Parliament, the Government has two key parts...

Celebrating the best among region’s kaumatua

Clive Bibby My wife and I were privileged to be part of a function that demonstrated why we as a nation need to focus on the things we have in common, rather than the things that drive us apart. Why do we have to put up with a constant barrage of...

Climate change a low priority for new Govt

As the COP28 UN climate summit nears its end, world governments are still far apart on the central question of whether to phase out fossil fuels. The next few days could be the world’s last chance to keep global heating within safe limits. COP28...

Judge not . . .

Re: Signs should be te reo first, December 9. Dear Lara, I deeply resent you calling me a monolingual moron by implication in your latest offering. I passed School Certificate French in 1953. My wish for you, for 2024, is to try to be a bit nicer...

Eye on next generation

Re: te reo place names. I mentioned to my daughter that I had trouble knowing the government agencies because of their Māori names. She replied, “Yes Mum, but the next generation will take them for granted.” Wise words. Heather van Wyk

Relay for Life back on the calendar for 2024

Relay for Life is back in 2024. After three years of delays and interruptions caused by Covid-19 and flooding, the fun community event and Cancer Society fundaiser is back. The 24-hour event (midday to midday) will be at the A&P Showgrounds, on...

District council preparing transport plan

Important work guiding transport planning in Tairāwhiti is gearing up for public consultation at the end of summer. Every six years, Gisborne District Council produces a Regional Land Transport Plan which details the region’s priorities and...

Early Sunday call-out completes chopper’s week

Sunday saw an early start for the Trust Tairāwhiti Rescue Helicopter, whose final mission of the week was a 2.30am call-out to a trauma at Ruatoria. The patient was flown in stable condition to Gisborne Hospital. The team completed four other...

Book giveaway for Christmas

Christimas is just around the corner and at this time of year Focus on the Land likes to give books away. Up for grabs is ‘Secret Gardens of Aotearoa’, written by Jane Mahoney and Sophie Bannan. It explores a dozen “intriguing and unique”...

B+LNZ to open office in Tairāwhiti

Beef + Lamb New Zealand will open an office in Gisborne next week. The premises, on the fifth floor of 74 Grey Street, will be officially opened and blessed on Wednesday next week from 1pm till 3pm. Invitations have gone out for the event. It will...

Store lamb prices up to expectation

There was a total clearance of the 1487 sheep sold at the weekly sale at the Matawhero saleyards yesterday, where all except 11 sheep in the total yarding were store lambs. The best price of $77 was paid for 30 ram lambs from Raroa Station, at...

Needing to work hard on unity now

The Mayor’s call today for unity around everything we agree on, relationship building and the need to find new ways of thinking and working together is exactly what’s required for our region to overcome the challenges we face, and to help us...

Together we are stronger, Tairāwhiti

Mayor Rehette Stoltz I want to take this opportunity to wish you and your whānau a blessed, peaceful (and sunny!) Christmas. I do hope that you will have some time off to rest and recharge your battery for 2024. No one can deny that 2023 has been...

‘Too small’ is no excuse, won’t help in any way

Last month the president of COP28 Sultan al-Jaber said there was “no science” saying phasing out fossil fuel was what would keep the world inside 1.5C heating — a blatant attempt to undermine the agenda. More than 2400 fossil-fuel lobbyists...

Rare feats in Wi’s sights

Tairāwhiti No. 1 William Brown is on a mission to play at the national interprovincials in every New Zealand golf province. And he’s well on track to achieving it. Brown ended his 15th consecutive national tournament yesterday in Wellington and at...

Nothing is as it seems, and somebody dunnit . . .

REVIEW A festive environment is the backdrop of the latest murder mystery by Dorothy M Fletcher where the cast of Usual Suspects is a group of carol singers — the Golden Years Fun Club — enjoying the aftermatch party at a winery. In the first...