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Lindy Laird
Reporter
Whangarei

Lindy Laird is a reporter for the Northern Advocate

We are your advocate, Aotearoa. Uncovering stories that matter, asking hard-hitting questions of those in power, live-blogging sport events, monitoring the highs and lows of the NZX and providing Premium expert opinion and analysis. Bringing you distinctive, quality journalism and breaking news from across New Zealand and around the world. With specialists working together to create indepth reads, engaging video, and unmissable podcasts.

Check out Lindy’s latest content
Commissioner ramps up fight against child poverty
Northern Advocate

Commissioner ramps up fight against child poverty

18 Oct 08:00 PM
Has the (fan) worm turned?
Northern Advocate

Has the (fan) worm turned?

10 Oct 10:00 PM

A year after only one invasive fanworm was found in Ōpua Marina, a search finds 1013

Premium
Northland suicide numbers exposed
Northern Advocate

Northland suicide numbers exposed

08 Oct 04:00 PM

An unwaged man with mental illness and a dairy farmer speak out about Northland suicide

Kaipara council gets vote of confidence
Northern Advocate

Kaipara council gets vote of confidence

03 Oct 10:00 PM

The job of Crown manager put in place to help Kaipara District Council has expired

Premium
Northport favoured to replace Auckland's port
Northern Advocate

Northport favoured to replace Auckland's port

03 Oct 04:00 PM

A working group has recommended Ports of Auckland closes and operations move to Northport.

Premium
Whangārei tapware company turns 50
Northern Advocate

Whangārei tapware company turns 50

01 Oct 11:30 PM

Whangārei tapware company Foreno makes a splash about its 50th birthday

Whangārei road fissure cause unknown
Northern Advocate

Whangārei road fissure cause unknown

30 Sep 05:00 PM

Roading experts don't yet know why a fissure has opened up in a Whangārei street.

Northland potter wins Quarry Arts award
Northern Advocate

Northland potter wins Quarry Arts award

29 Sep 11:30 PM

Richard Parker has won the Northland Arts Trust's 2019 Open Ceramics Awards.

Premium
Whangārei Buddhist centre plans an anniversary party
Northern Advocate

Whangārei Buddhist centre plans an anniversary party

29 Sep 10:52 PM

Whangārei Buddhist centre to celebrate the 20th anniversary since revered monk arrived.

Paddling the freshwater waka
Northern Advocate

Paddling the freshwater waka

27 Sep 11:30 PM

A hui in Whangārei about improving water quality called for everyone to get in the waka.

Premium
Northland Arts Centre's studio: Art with heart
Northern Advocate

Northland Arts Centre's studio: Art with heart

27 Sep 09:00 PM

Julia and Jason Tapp tap into the community spirit at their unique Whangārei art school.

Northland's failed water test
Northern Advocate

Northland's failed water test

25 Sep 07:00 PM

A freshwater river report reinforces that Northland Regional Council ''Must do better''.

47 measles cases in Northland
Northern Advocate

47 measles cases in Northland

20 Sep 07:00 PM

Northland's 47th measles case confirmed, and Whangārei MP challenges the Government

Premium
Owning Titoki store far cry from life as chef in Austria
Northern Advocate

Owning Titoki store far cry from life as chef in Austria

14 Sep 11:00 PM

A former Austrian chef is a general storekeeper in one-shop-stop Northland farming valley.

Film crew frustrated as Northland orca hidden by bad weather
Northern Advocate

Film crew frustrated as Northland orca hidden by bad weather

09 Sep 10:00 PM

A National Geographic film crew in Northland caught some orca action despite bad weather.

Anger over toppled sculpture in Whangārei park
Northern Advocate

Anger over toppled sculpture in Whangārei park

09 Sep 08:00 PM

The vandalism of a sculpture in Whangārei Town Basin's art park has angered many people.

Northland MP: Northern railway 'a white elephant'
Northern Advocate

Northland MP: Northern railway 'a white elephant'

09 Sep 06:00 AM

National MP says putting $95m of PGF fund into northern railway is a waste of money.

Premium
Saving tara iti from brink of extinction
Northern Advocate

Saving tara iti from brink of extinction

07 Sep 03:00 AM

Some big guns are getting in to help New Zealand's most endangered bird

Train on track for Northland with $95m PGF ticket
Northern Advocate

Train on track for Northland with $95m PGF ticket

06 Sep 07:00 PM

Shane Jones wore a conductor's cap and blew a whistle to start the $95m train.

Premium
Bang bang, Kamo's golden hammer ...
Northern Advocate

Bang bang, Kamo's golden hammer ...

04 Sep 12:00 AM

A golden hammer is taking pride of place in Store of the Year, Hammer Hardware Kamo.

Premium
Cancer agency and Pharmac boost welcome
Northern Advocate

Cancer agency and Pharmac boost welcome

03 Sep 07:00 PM

Kaitaia woman hopes new cancer agency, drug funding will save others with breast cancer.

Pots of entries for Northland ceramics awards
Northern Advocate

Pots of entries for Northland ceramics awards

03 Sep 01:00 AM

More than 70 works from potters around NZ have been entered in a Northland ceramics award

Future-proof fence posts - made with milk bottles
Northern Advocate

Future-proof fence posts - made with milk bottles

02 Sep 07:00 PM

Millions of plastic milk bottles are going back to farms to keep cows in the paddocks.

Premium
Young comics in the Raw
Northern Advocate

Young comics in the Raw

31 Aug 07:00 AM

A high school comedy gig is coming, organised by the same man who set up Naughty North.

Premium
Widow paddles suicide awareness message
Northern Advocate

Widow paddles suicide awareness message

29 Aug 10:34 PM

Suicides in Northland have dropped almost 20 per cent on the previous year.

$15.5m facelift in Whangārei suburb
Northern Advocate

$15.5m facelift in Whangārei suburb

27 Aug 10:00 PM

Work on the site on the corner of Kensington and Kamo Rds began this week.

Tributes for Pita Paraone
Northern Advocate

Tributes for Pita Paraone

26 Aug 08:00 PM

Tributes pour in for Ngāti Hine and Waitangi Trust leader and politician Pita Paraone

Ngāti Hine and Waitangi leader dies
Northern Advocate

Ngāti Hine and Waitangi leader dies

26 Aug 12:08 AM

Ngāti Hine kaumātua, politician and Waitangi stalwart, Pita Paraone has died

GE Free Northland asks public to help it fight NRC
Northern Advocate

GE Free Northland asks public to help it fight NRC

24 Aug 01:00 AM

Another Northland organisation is appealing NRC's GMO stance and also appealing for funds

Premium
Housing and health scheme for homeless
Northern Advocate

Housing and health scheme for homeless

23 Aug 05:00 PM

A scheme to house 40 ''chronically homeless'' people a year offers them more than a house

Scheme puts ceiling on homelessness
Northern Advocate

Scheme puts ceiling on homelessness

23 Aug 01:23 AM

Whangārei Housing First scheme to house the homeless then support them is launched

Kids learn lessons from the Manaia and the Taniwha
Northern Advocate

Kids learn lessons from the Manaia and the Taniwha

18 Aug 05:00 PM

Whangārei Heads School's mountain-running pupils bring together a Manaia and the Taniwha.

Premium
Hundertwasser job: The arts building and building the arts
Northern Advocate

Hundertwasser job: The arts building and building the arts

16 Aug 05:00 PM

Kathleen Drumm - from Toronto International Film Festival to Whangārei's Hundertwasser.

Premium
Community plays fairy godparent to fairy terns
Northern Advocate

Community plays fairy godparent to fairy terns

15 Aug 08:30 PM

New Zealand's most endangered bird is getting another helping hand in Northland.

Premium
Rarely awarded RSA Gold Badge for Whangārei vet
Northern Advocate

Rarely awarded RSA Gold Badge for Whangārei vet

12 Aug 05:00 PM

Awarded a top RSA badge, Whangārei man D'Arcy Bailey shares an honour with Prince Harry.

Kaipara catchment first to get Govt new clean-water funding
Northern Advocate

Kaipara catchment first to get Govt new clean-water funding

11 Aug 05:00 PM

The huge Kaipara catchment is the first to benefit from a new Government clean-water fund.

Kaipara catchment first for Govt $12m waterways fund
Northern Advocate

Kaipara catchment first for Govt $12m waterways fund

11 Aug 02:00 AM

Kaipara Harbour catchment will be first to tap into new $12 million clean waterways fund.

Winners are grinners: Cheesemakers win international award
Northern Advocate

Winners are grinners: Cheesemakers win international award

09 Aug 09:00 PM

"The International Cheese and Dairy Awards are like the Olympics of Cheese."

Cancer machine will save Northland lives
Northern Advocate

Cancer machine will save Northland lives

07 Aug 05:00 PM

A new cancer radiotherapy machine promised to Northland will save lives.

Email 'explains' NRC members' GMO decision
Northern Advocate

Email 'explains' NRC members' GMO decision

30 Jul 05:00 PM

The four councillors who scrapped anti-GMO rules in NRC Plan send email explaining why

Spectacular crash sends car plummeting into park
Northern Advocate

Spectacular crash sends car plummeting into park

29 Jul 10:25 PM

Spectacular early morning car crash narrowly misses other traffic and pedestrians

Premium
Who gives a butchers? The Mangawhai Meat Shop does
Northern Advocate

Who gives a butchers? The Mangawhai Meat Shop does

23 Jul 06:45 PM

Mangawhai Meats invites customers to bring their own containers to reduce plastic waste.

Council GMO stance 'flawed, a betrayal and undemocratic'
Northern Advocate

Council GMO stance 'flawed, a betrayal and undemocratic'

22 Jul 07:00 PM

NRC turns its back on provisions that would prohibit GMO being introduced to Northland.

Premium
Salvation Army terminates family's emergency housing contract
Northern Advocate

Salvation Army terminates family's emergency housing contract

03 Jul 10:00 PM

Work and Income pays for family in motel after Salvation Army evicts them.

Premium
Upcycling, from has-been to Easy Bean
Northern Advocate

Upcycling, from has-been to Easy Bean

03 Jul 12:00 AM

Repurposing turns former Whangārei recycling centre toll gate from has-been to Easy Bean.

Mahuta connects with North heartland
Northern Advocate

Mahuta connects with North heartland

30 Jun 06:00 PM

The influential Māori politician spent two days learning more about the region's issues.

Whangārei potters put the heat on Quarry Arts' kiln
Northern Advocate

Whangārei potters put the heat on Quarry Arts' kiln

26 Jun 08:00 PM

Northland potters kept up a burning interest in contents of a kiln called K-2 for days.

Flowers give joy on Lonely Bouquet Day
Northern Advocate

Flowers give joy on Lonely Bouquet Day

26 Jun 07:00 PM

Not only the lonely received a heart warming bunch of happiness in Whangārei yesterday.

Premium
Selling cars, a male domain? No way says 23-year-old woman
Northern Advocate

Selling cars, a male domain? No way says 23-year-old woman

26 Jun 12:30 AM

Bethanee Witt-Green has already spent several years in the automotive industry.

Premium
Opinion: What does a confidence survey really tell us?
Northern Advocate

Opinion: What does a confidence survey really tell us?

25 Jun 05:00 AM

How much notice should we take of a consumer confidence survey of 1500 Kiwis?

Premium
Northpower launches switched on cadetship
Northern Advocate

Northpower launches switched on cadetship

18 Jun 11:30 PM

Northpower creates its future worker pool via a scheme to train 10 to 12 cadets a year.

Premium
Troubled Far North teenagers tell it like it is
Northern Advocate

Troubled Far North teenagers tell it like it is

14 Jun 08:00 PM

Far North students from school of hard knocks put on spot at Budget analysis meeting

Premium
More KiwiBuild houses for Whangārei
Northern Advocate

More KiwiBuild houses for Whangārei

11 Jun 10:30 PM

The next six houses in Whangārei's contribution to KiwiBuild come on the market this week.

First Whangārei mayoral candidate lines up
Northern Advocate

First Whangārei mayoral candidate lines up

11 Jun 12:00 AM

Tony Savage is the first candidate out of the gates in a race to the Whangārei mayoralty

Donation levels high but foodbanks struggle to meet need
Northern Advocate

Donation levels high but foodbanks struggle to meet need

09 Jun 09:00 PM

An already giving public is being asked to donate more to feed needy Whangārei families.

Premium
Ancient Māori sail inspires exhibition
Northern Advocate

Ancient Māori sail inspires exhibition

08 Jun 06:00 AM

An ancient sail in the National Museum of London is the basis of a Hokianga exhibition .

Big cat sanctuary takes leap to compliance
Northern Advocate

Big cat sanctuary takes leap to compliance

07 Jun 11:00 PM

Does a flurry of activity at the Kamo Wildlife Sanctuary mean the big cat zoo will reopen?

Premium
New emphasis on the body's well-being in Walton St
Northern Advocate

New emphasis on the body's well-being in Walton St

04 Jun 05:00 AM

Wellness centre and gym to open in building which once housed hairdresser and brothel

Premium
Work to be done before Northland's rail is upgraded - KiwiRail
Northern Advocate

Work to be done before Northland's rail is upgraded - KiwiRail

03 Jun 05:00 PM

KiwiRail chief Greg Miller spells out work needed to get trains running in Northland.

Premium
Whangārei's pop-up laboratory of bright ideas
Northern Advocate

Whangārei's pop-up laboratory of bright ideas

27 May 08:00 PM

Whangārei could become hotbed of cross-disciplinary digital technology and arts projects.

Premium
Northland World War I veteran in WW100 campaign
Northern Advocate

Northland World War I veteran in WW100 campaign

06 May 06:45 PM

The story of a Northland man is one of three in WW100's campaign, Finding Our Way Back

From drugs and gangs to God's mob
Northern Advocate

From drugs and gangs to God's mob

20 Apr 06:00 PM

A former gang-affiliated drug dealer is now leading a church set up in an old nightclub.

Northland courier franchise delivers the best
Northern Advocate

Northland courier franchise delivers the best

17 Apr 12:30 AM

Award winning Fastway Couriers Northland franchise owner says drivers put skin in the game

Whangārei industry boss says apprentice scheme doomed if reforms go ahead
Northern Advocate

Whangārei industry boss says apprentice scheme doomed if reforms go ahead

12 Apr 06:00 PM

A Northland industry boss says proposed changes to apprentice training spell disaster.

Bathroom fittings store taps into North's property growth
Northern Advocate

Bathroom fittings store taps into North's property growth

09 Apr 11:30 PM

Bathroom and kitchen fitting chainstore Millen in Whangārei to catch Northland growth.

Food, glorious food - Northland fare
Northern Advocate

Food, glorious food - Northland fare

26 Mar 10:30 PM

Made in Northland - Caveman Candy jerky, Black Garlic Man garlic, Fire Dragon Chillies.

Welcome to Northland's star tech enterprise
Northern Advocate

Welcome to Northland's star tech enterprise

19 Mar 10:00 PM

Techweek is the only festival in the world that unites a nation on the tech topic

Couple in Shave for a Cure campaign
Northern Advocate

Couple in Shave for a Cure campaign

15 Mar 11:01 PM

Paparoa couple Colleen Taylor and Julie Harper talk about cancer and Shave for a Cure

Night-time perspective to street photographs
Northern Advocate

Night-time perspective to street photographs

15 Mar 11:00 PM

The photographer known as Shadows_Surgeon has been ''cutting up the dark'' in Whangārei.

Car company moves to bigger, bolder Whangārei site
Northern Advocate

Car company moves to bigger, bolder Whangārei site

12 Mar 08:00 PM

A high profile empty site has been turned into one of Whangārei's biggest car yards.

Whangārei baker takes a tiger by the tail
Northern Advocate

Whangārei baker takes a tiger by the tail

05 Mar 11:00 PM

A Whangārei baker has put together a very special pie in honour of the West Tigers.

What's on: Shakespeare, as you'll like it
Northern Advocate

What's on: Shakespeare, as you'll like it

01 Mar 12:30 AM

It's been dubbed ''the greatest play Shakespeare never wrote''.

Oceania Marine trims its interiors operation
Northern Advocate

Oceania Marine trims its interiors operation

27 Feb 12:00 AM

Oceania Marine has ''let go'' of its Hewlett St boat refit operation.

Zego boats help clean up the seas
Northern Advocate

Zego boats help clean up the seas

19 Feb 11:00 PM

Zooming along the Waipū River like a rubber ducky on steroids - meet the Zego.

New Chamber CEO ready to roll
Northern Advocate

New Chamber CEO ready to roll

13 Feb 12:00 AM

Steve Smith is in the chief executive's chair at Northland Chamber of Commerce.

Video store: 'We're alive and well'
Northern Advocate

Video store: 'We're alive and well'

05 Feb 10:30 PM

Video stores anywhere in New Zealand are a rarity these days.

Principal shocked by police P raid, arrests at her house
Northern Advocate

Principal shocked by police P raid, arrests at her house

04 Feb 04:30 PM

Waipu School principal explains to the community after P and stolen goods found at house

Marsden Pt rail link more a promise than a maybe
Northern Advocate

Marsden Pt rail link more a promise than a maybe

31 Jan 07:00 PM

Geotech study on proposed Marsden Pt rail line complete but no start date yet.

Team walks the torque and wins international truck service contest
Northern Advocate

Team walks the torque and wins international truck service contest

08 Jan 10:00 PM

Five Whangārei truck service technicians win international contest with 8000 entrants.

Golden harvest for kiwifruit growers
Northern Advocate

Golden harvest for kiwifruit growers

11 Dec 11:30 PM

Northland kiwifruit crop earned growers more than $50 million in exports this year.

Meningococcal outbreak: At the frontline of a mass vaccination
Northern Advocate

Meningococcal outbreak: At the frontline of a mass vaccination

10 Dec 09:05 PM

First it rained and then the sun blazed as many hundreds waited for the MenW vaccination

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