Sandra Conchie is a Multimedia Journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times based in Tauranga.
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.
Ballance proposal to cut 62 jobs: Workers feel 'blindsided'
Ballance Agri-Nutrients worker says there a lot of anxiety over potential loss of jobs.
Fertiliser company ‘committed to learning’ from worker’s tragic death
WorkSafe says safety practices at the factory failed to account for workers' reality.
‘Ticking time bomb’: Family speak out on factory worker’s ‘horrifying’ death
Wesley Tomich, 37, died in July 2023 at a Mount Maunganui factory.
Farmers fined $77k for discharging effluent into stream
Judge Tepania noted both defendants were careless for different reasons.
Pumice quarry owners, land owner fined $272k for consent breaches
Paengaroa pumice quarry and landowner fined $272,000 for resource consent breaches.
'Heartbreaking': Second Bay of Plenty horse death linked to fireworks
'My emotions are pretty up and down at the moment ... I'm trying to deal with it.'
'Black Christmas': Devastated orchard owners count cost of fire
'It’s so sad because Christmas is coming and suddenly we have this. It’s unbelievable.'
'Overwhelming public support': Calls for fireworks ban grow after horse's death
'The only thing keeping me going is trying to stay strong to fight for the ban': owner
'Crash 4, Crash 4': Colleague's final moments with man crushed in conveyor belt
The fertiliser company admits it failed to ensure workers' safety.
'Highly careless or even negligent': Farm manager fined $52k for effluent pollution
An experienced Bay of Plenty farm manager has been fined for illegal effluent discharge.
Digger operator deaths: Forestry industry issued with fatality alert
Two digger operators died at work within 10 days in July.
'Murder': 64 chickens slain, council hunt killer dogs
“That’s what this is - the murder of my defenceless poor chickens by killer dogs."
Digger operator who died in Kaingaroa Forest incident named
WorkSafe is investigating the Ōpōtiki man's death on Wednesday.
'Dirty water': Kiwifruit orchard earthworks contaminate stream
Three Bay of Plenty companies have been fined for earthwork consent breaches.
'Obviously deliberate': Landlords illegally piped human waste to riverside drain
The offending continued for nearly four years despite orders to stop.
139 jobs lost as mussel processing plant in Tauranga set to close
The joint venture is 'unable to profitably process mussels in Tauranga'.
'Significant hazard’: Crashes involving roaming livestock on the rise
Police are urging livestock owners to secure their fences after a spate of crashes.
Dog latches on to pig's throat in public reserve, teens rush to help
Authorities are looking for the injured pig and advise people to avoid it.
'Porker invasion': Family of pigs terrorise picnickers in city park
'Mama pig came at us trying to eat our snacks.'
Chicken shed fire 'not flagged as suspicious'
Forty firefighters battled the blaze for about six hours.
'Very difficult': Fire destroys Inghams farm chicken shed in Matamata
Forty firefighters battled the blaze.
Worker lived in garage alongside 19 others with no heating or insulation
A Tauranga labour contractor has pleaded guilty to worker exploitation charges.
Rise in roaming dogs sparks fears for livestock owners
A rise in the number of roaming dogs increases fear among Rotorua Lakes livestock owners.
Dog owner bitten by man after elderly border collie mauled
Molly has had two surgeries and may need more after her throat was 'ripped open'.
‘Absolutely tragic’: Grieving family, friend pay tribute to granddad shot while hunting
His family say he was well-known in his local community of Paeroa, in Hauraki.
Two more Bay of Plenty orchardists fined for unlawful groundwater use
The growers are among five prosecuted by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council this year.
'Significant failure': Dairy farm fined $40k after effluent found in trout stream
A Bay of Plenty dairy farm and a director have admitted illegal discharge of contaminants.
'Excessively low': Questions raised over Waka Kotahi pothole damage payouts
Motorist who fought for a payout believes that agency makes it as “difficult as possible”.
'Good guy’: Former firefighter tragically killed in road crash
'It’s been a huge shock for all of us and we’ve shed many tears.'
'Precious resource': Business convicted of unlawfully taking millions of litres of groundwater
The company faces a hefty fine.
Poo-lution: Reporoa farm owner cops fine after effluent reaches stream
The owner of a dairy farm in Reporoa has been fined for illegal effluent discharges.
'Took the gamble': Orchard owners unlawfully took millions of litres of water
Pongakawa kiwifruit growers admit unlawfully taking millions of litres of groundwater.
Aongatete dairy farmers fined $28k for illegal cowshed discharge
Two Bay of Plenty have been dairy farmers convicted and fined for effluent discharges.
'Like being stranded on an island': No way out for Karangahake Gorge residents
Due to flooding there was no way out of the gorge in either direction.
Tauranga business faces big fine for 'putrid' smell of 'rotting, stinking, dead meat'
Residents reported hiding away inside their homes to avoid the stench
Watch: Incredible footage of region's slips captured
Slips on Thames Coast Rd near Ruamahanga and in the Karangahake Gorge.
New fisheries rules: Commercial fishers fear being pushed out
"It will also make fish more expensive and price it out of reach..."
Company ordered to pay $658,000 after lime 'white-out' caused fatal crash
Susan Walmsley never regained consciousness after the crash, and died three days later.
Award-winning Kaimai beekeepers compete in global contest
Kaimai Range Honey business owners are set to take on the world in a global competition.
Plastic discharged into water was 'carelessness to a high degree' - lawyer
The plastic discharged into the water was found 1.5km downstream.
Simon Bridges on quitting politics, his legacy - and what comes next
Outgoing MP says he expects a great by-election battle between red and blue for his seat.
Power cuts: Farmers can't milk cows, orchards damaged by winds
Powerco cannot say when they can reconnect power to thousands of customers.
'Huge expectation and hope': Iconic attraction's reopening buoys tourism leaders
The reopening comes on the cusp of summer, tourism providers hope for eased restrictions.
Kiwifruit picker convicted in foreign worker visa breach
A Bay of Plenty fruit picker has been convicted for her role in a visitors' visa scam.
Men fined for 'inhumane and totally avoidable' botched bull castration
A former police officer and another man have been fined over botched bulls castrations
One dead after milk tanker and car collide near Rotorua
Highway expected to remain closed between Oxford and Matahi roads for some time.
Ex-cop prosecuted over botched castration of bulls in car park
The former cop is one of two men to be charged over the castrations.
Three people await fate over tyre-stockpiling case
Two people have been sentenced in relation to a tyre dumping prosecution case.
Grass fires prompt reminder of total fire ban in Western Bay
A grass fire in Papamoa Beach has prompted a reminder that there is a fire ban.
Tauranga company director heads to trial on exploitation charges
A Tauranga kiwifruit labour contractor denies a raft of alleged exploitation charges.
Two helicopters and three fire crews on Matakana Island
Matakana Island blaze still to be contained after jumping a fire break on Saturday.
Paengaroa orchardist admits stealing queen bees and mating boxes
A Paengaroa orchardist has been convicted and ordered to pay his neighbour reparation.
Hook crushed worker's hand after jamming three times in one day
The mussel farm company the worker was employed by has been fined $150,000.
Man trapped by tractor remains in serious condition
A person has been injured after a tractor rolled at a rural property in Aongatete.
Sanford's Tauranga fish processing plant to close
The closure of the Sanford's Tauranga fish processing plant will go ahead.
Elderly couple 'keep eyes peeled for crims'
A Tauranga couple's countless hours of giving have been rewarded.
Sanford's proposed closure of Tauranga plant a 'horrible' blow
A long-standing Sanford worker says the proposed closure has come as huge shock.
Sanford site closure: 'Devastating blow' to seafood industry
Sanford Ltd have now entered a consultation period with Tauranga workers.
Fourth confirmed case of listeria in Bay of Plenty
The investigation into the source of a Tauranga outbreak of listeria is ongoing.
Burglar caught after leaving engraved knife at scene
The armed burglar, who also breached the Covid-19 lockdown rules, avoided prison.
Horticulture sector 'lifeline' for workers as demand grows
New Zealand's horticulture sector is helping to keep people in jobs.
Farm worker sentenced for effluent discharge into streams
The discharge was in breach of the farm's resource consent conditions.
Zespri's new head office officially opened
Zespri's new head office opens for business in Mount Maunganui.
Pāpāmoa toddler badly injured in 'freak accident'
The incident happened at the Te Puke A & P Show on Saturday.
Tauranga housewife admits breaching biosecurity rules
Plans to start her own plant business prompted a woman to illegally import cuttings.
Katikati's A&P Show attracts huge crowd
The annual Agricultural & Pastoral Show drew in thousands of people on a hot Sunday.
Bay of Plenty company fined for stormwater discharges
A Bay of Plenty firm has been fined for illegal stormwater discharges from its worksite.
Thousands flocked to annual Tauranga City Air Show
The Tauranga City Air and Mount Truck show a rounding success.
Dog attacks on animals in Rotorua Lakes declining
Dog attacks in Rotorua Lakes District are on the decline
Tauranga housewife accused of importing illegal plants
A Tauranga housewife has been charged with importing banned goods.
Son's grief for father: 'It still feels raw and surreal'
A Whangamata resident has died in a boating accident over the weekend.
Bay of Plenty firefighters battle Australia wildfires
Kiwi firefighters heading to Australia to help fight devastating bushfires.
'I still can't believe it': Kiwifruit pioneer dies in holiday tragedy
A Bay of Plenty identity has drowned during a boating trip in the United Kingdom.
Bay company breached earthworks resource consent
Bay of Plenty firm admits discharging sediment-contaminated water during earthworks
Firearms amnesty and buyback events in Bay of Plenty
From July 19 to September 29 there will be 11 amnesty / buy-back events in the district.
Bay students muck in for planting challenge
Group of 190 students from five schools join forces for planting challenge.
'Tragic accident' leaves two dead, calls for barrier arms on rail crossing
Deceased believed to work in the kiwifruit industry.
Port's world-first logging truck scalers safer
Ground-breaking robotics set to transform log processing at ports.
Equestrian, partner face sex charges against young girls
EXCLUSIVE: Sex charges laid after Cambridge woman allegedly groomed girls for partner.
Bottles dumped on beach in plastic protest
People are protesting against plans to grow the Eastern Bay's water bottling industry.