The ministry has also revealed it told the college a month ago to remove the line.

Tourism operators are looking at the weekend as a sign of what's to come.

The fears come as they find themselves in a vicious cycle of more demand and less food.

In one incident Black Power members stole Mongrel Mob patches.

One school had more than 40 absences this week, another had 20 per cent of kids away.

One taxi driver of 10 years says he may have to look for another job by the end of 2022.

But one real estate leader says "property prices would always increase in the long term".

Some are missing meals, appointments or becoming homeless as inflation and high rent bite.

Ex-cyclone Fili was expected to do a lot more harm than it did.

'I can't describe it... seeing people enjoying things again, it's fantastic.'

'Now when it rains, I don't sleep at all,' says one storm-battered homeowner.

It was raised in the annual Whakaari Hayden Marshall-Inman Memorial Golf Tournament.

Businesses will not be required to ask for vaccine passes from 11.59pm tonight.

One support service says it has never seen demand as high as during the current outbreak.

The end of MIQ is on the horizon, but what does that mean for Rotorua?

Some people are testing negative up to six times before a positive result, doctor says.

Staffing and supply issues mean shoppers face difficulties buying grocery basics.

Seven matches of the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup will be played in Mount Maunganui.

Life changed in a split second for the running coach whose job is to help others.

One mother took two months to find a rental that wasn't rundown', 'damp' or 'mouldy'.

Reporoa-born and bred, he is now responding to 111 calls in Tauranga.

National has said the number of new police in the region is "not enough".

Fears a major outbreak could see Rotorua shutting down like Queenstown.

Plus ideas for how to celebrate Valentine's Day with your special someone

The average Kiwi has $72 in unused gift card credit, a survey has found.

The public is urged to donate as well before the container is shipped on March 1.

More than one in 10 drownings in New Zealand were in the Bay of Plenty.

The Hot Spring Spas Black Clash T20 match saw a "sensational" end to the "buzzing" night.

The number of callouts has increased over the past five years.

Tongans in New Zealand desperate for news of families: "I can't sleep at night."

'I could feel tiny little egg-like creatures hitting against me as I swam'.

While traveller numbers are better than earlier in the year, it's not expected to last.

Fights, falling over and broken glass contributed to millions in ACC injury claims.

Hundreds of children in Rotorua emergency housing will be treated this Chirstmas.

It coincides with the growing number of people on the housing register.

But its lead GP says the practice believes in a 'variety of approaches'.

The Covid-19 vaccine mandate deadline ended yesterday.

A food support service has had requests from professionals who will lose their jobs.

The game is set for January 22, and tickets are expected to sell out before Christmas.

The ride and dine is a tourism casualty of Covid-19.

A usually a busy long weekend for the city has been anything but.

An unvaccinated person was at Rotorua Airport twice before flying to Blenheim last week.

Sixty-seven per cent of Rotorua's alcohol off-licences are in the most deprived areas.

Health leaders are calling for changes to laws around the substance more deadly than meth.

Their full-time job is to help everyone at rock bottom, but how is their mental health?

Markets either don't have many visitors or can't open with tight restrictions.

Rotorua is still at level 2, Auckland still at level 4, and businesses still suffer.

The numbers of people needing help since lockdown in August have reached new heights.

Business leaders say the recovery won't be as swift as last year.

Rotorua comes back to life under Delta level 2.