Laura Smith is the Rotorua Daily Post's Local Democracy Reporter, shining a light on politics in the district.

Laura Smith is the Rotorua Daily Post's Local Democracy Reporter, shining a light on politics in the district. She has been with the Post since 2021. She previously reported general news for the Otago Daily Times and Southland Express and has been a journalist since 2019. It was in the deep south she found a passion for reporting on issues important to the communities she lives in. It was also where she purchased a pair of sparkly gumboots, which still sit by her desk ready for action, next to her camera and forest of pot plants. Laura moved to Rotorua to be a general reporter covering the Bay of Plenty, and enjoys writing about the environment, social issues and, of course, local politics. The latter has been her focus for the last year and while it provides few opportunities for sparkly gummies, the satisfaction she gets from writing on the actions and decisions that impact the people of Rotorua more than makes up for it.