Rotorua Daily Post
Is Plenty enough?
Small Bay of Plenty businesses are struggling to keep pace on productivity, a new report suggests. Data from technology company Xero ranked the region in the bottom third of the country for small business labour productivity. It did this by measuring...
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It was ‘the place to be’
Rotorua was “heaving” with visitors at the weekend as those making the most of the long weekend surged to the city, creating a preCovid buzz not seen in years. Rotorua’s accommodation, hospitality and visitor sectors say with the long weekend for...
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Pensioners fear being homeless by Christmas
Rotorua Lakes Council is exploring options to redevelop the city’s largest pensioner housing complex. A resident of the Lucas Pl site in Fenton Park says some tenants do not want to move and fear they will be “homeless by Christmas”. The council says...
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Rotorua Hospital adds 18 beds for winter
Eighteen temporary beds have been added to Rotorua Hospital wards to help manage winter demand. It comes as a Rotorua GP reports a “usual winter” with many viral respiratory illnesses hitting patients, while PHF Science data shows calls to Healthline...
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Space to build 400 homes: Historic farm to be sold
Hunts Farm is on the market with the potential for a developer to build 400 homes. The Hunt family has owned the 54ha freehold block between Parklands Estate and Matipo Ave in Sunnybrook since 1920. The land was identified as a growth area within the...
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Dad dies minutes after escaping house fire
ARotorua man described as an incredible father died minutes after escaping uninjured from his burning home yesterday, his son says. He told the Rotorua Daily Post it was hard to believe his 60-year-old father survived a burning house only to die from...
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Iconic hotel for sale ‘There are investors out there'
One of Rotorua’s most iconic hotels is for sale, the city’s fourth big accommodation property to come on the market in recent months. Rydges Rotorua on Tyron St is on the outskirts of the Whakarewarewa geothermal village. It has 203 guest rooms and...
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‘Triumph of spirit’: ‘A fresh start' for Jakob Teen’s nine-month hospital stay finally set to end
At last, a home is on the horizon for a disabled teenager who has spent the past nine months living in Rotorua Hospital. And all it took was for Jakob Tindle to turn 18. His Taupō-based mother, Melissa Humphrey, says she is now excited about her son’s...
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Star stands by his ex-Lotto presenter mate
Actor Temuera Morrison is standing by his former Lotto presenter friend despite his crimes, while experts say taxpayer money spent on five years of gardening leave is “very unlikely” to be recovered. Russell Harrison was arrested five years ago in an...
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Rotorua firm fined for releasing harmful gas
Along-standing Rotorua business and one of its senior employees have been fined after admitting they deliberately discharged a potent synthetic greenhouse gas into the air. In the Rotorua District Court last Thursday, Judge Louis Bidois said...
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L.A.B back with new
Anew family-friendly summer festival is coming to Rotorua. Bay of Plenty band and foundation partner L.A.B say they are “really excited” to bring their new one-day festival 8th Wonder to the “perfect” spot in Rotorua on January 23. The festival will...
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Retailer fears losses from parking shake-up
ARotorua shop owner fears new city centre parking rules coming into effect today could hurt his business. Rotorua Lakes Council’s overhaul includes having two paid parking zones in the CBD and areas only available to people who buy permits for all-day...
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‘It was a big job’
An iwi-based housing organisation has rescued a failed development on Frank St in Rotorua, allowing 39 families to have new homes. Kōhanga Rākau Housing has just finished building rental homes in Koutu after swooping in to buy the unfinished Mountview...
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Insurer ordered to pay after months-long saga
The owner of a Mercedes whose front wheel “sheared off” after hitting a pothole thought the worst part of the ordeal was over when he lodged an insurance claim. Instead, the damage caused by the pothole marked the beginning of a months-long saga that...
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Funding standoff over airport intersection upgrade
Afunding standoff has emerged between Rotorua Lakes Council and the New Zealand Transport Agency over proposed highway upgrades near Rotorua Airport. NZTA says there is not enough traffic on State Highway 30/Te Ngae Rd to justify investment, while the...
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‘Future tenants should be aware’
Abid by Rotorua landlords Stephen and Jasu Bhana to keep their names secret in a recent Tenancy Tribunal case has been refused. The tribunal ruled the public needs to know who they are, given repeated issues with their rentals and “a pattern of...
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Rotorua iwi unveils new kaumā tua care model
ARotorua iwi has launched a “world-first” aged care model designed to support kaumātua at home for as long as possible. Ngāti Whakaue unveiled the papakāinga model of care “designed by iwi, for iwi” at Te Puia in Rotorua on Friday. About 160 people...
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Leaking hospital baby unit set for overhaul
Rotorua Hospital’s Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) refurbishment will begin in October after reports of “severe” and “ongoing” water leaks since December 2024, newly released documents show. Te Kawana Tapara, the father of a premature baby staying in...
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‘That’s not my signature’
Michael Waikato started to think there was no way out. He was living in emergency housing among troubled individuals and enduring thumping noise at all hours. Then, in September 2024, he got what he thought was a godsend. It was a phone call from...
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Pharmacy owners call it a day after 26 years
For 26 years, pharmacists Francis Dragicevich and Brett Fordyce have been in the business of making Rotorua residents feel better. Tens of thousands of flu jabs and other immunisations, fixing rashes, giving remedies for coughs, colds, flu and...
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K¯ainga Ora’s new homes ready
Amajor Kā inga Ora housing project in Rotorua’s CBD for 36 households is finished, with new tenants expected to move in next week. The three-level apartment block on Victoria St, on the corners of Ruihi and Herewini Sts, is directly opposite Rotorua...
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‘Just not a good look’
Adaily stroll along the Rotorua Lakefront has been a form of physical and emotional rehab for local Ian Wadsley after a heart scare last year. He even carries a bag of feed to greet his favourite duck on his outings. But he says his walks have...
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Early test may have spared major surgery
Aveterinarian who had a cancerous tumour removed says she could have avoided the surgery if the bowel screening age was lower. Dr Sally Aitken was 50 when she was diagnosed with Stage 1 adenocarcinoma bowel cancer in 2023 after she experienced “one...
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Rotorua rental price growth slowing
Rotorua rental price growth has slowed as rising supply and shifting tenant expectations reshape the market. Property managers say tenants have become increasingly “price sensitive”, with clearer expectations around quality and value. Sought-after...
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The chronicles of a Rotorua aid worker
Stephen Court describes himself as having a “very high tolerance for risk”. He’s not kidding. His CV reads like something out of a Boy’s Own manual — from living in a remote, water-based jungle infested with crocodiles in Papua New Guinea, where a pig...
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Significantly deteriorated geothermal bores a safety risk, says council
Two geothermal bores that heated an apartment block and three neighbouring businesses in Rotorua’s inner city have been closed because of safety concerns. The closure means those impacted must find alternative heating, with one business spending...
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CBD hospo owners hopeful
Scope Cafe owner Dave Fabling is confident his business will not “join the queue” of failing eateries. Hospitality liquidations surged nearly 50% in the year to March, the latest Centrix Credit Indicator shows, with more than 400 businesses closing...
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‘We ... create value’
The Government’s plan to prevent unelected people voting on council committees has reignited a debate over who influences decision-making at Rotorua Lakes Council. Local Government Minister Simon Watts last week announced plans to amend the Local...
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‘Voice of calm’ Te Arawa mourns ‘a mighty man’
Ken Raureti was a humble, gentle giant who brought people together in an often divided world. Now the man who never sought the spotlight is the centre of tributes, following his death at the weekend. The iwi leader, mediator and environmental worker...
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1100 attacks in 5 years and just 14 prosecutions
Rotorua Lakes Council has recorded more than 1100 dog attacks in five years – but only 14 resulted in a prosecution, prompting a local victim whose sheep have been attacked to call for tougher enforcement. Data obtained by the Rotorua Daily Post shows...
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What drove pro rugby star to legal profession
Ngarimu Simpkins was a professional rugby player and coach as well as a teacher. Now he’s tackling a new field — as a lawyer. His career is glittering. But he’s upfront. He could have done things a bit better. He’s referring to his 2016 convictions...
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‘Crossed the line’: Signature exposed in tenancy case
Arenter embroiled in a tenancy dispute with controversial Rotorua landlord Stephen Bhana used a handwriting expert to successfully challenge claims he had signed a document accepting responsibility for property damage. The expert said the signature...
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Police ‘got it wrong’ in high-speed pursuit
Police “got it wrong” and were operating on “incorrect assumptions” when they continued a high-risk pursuit of two teenagers in Rotorua who they wrongly thought could have had a gun, the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) has found. The chase...
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Court frustration
Acrowd of more than 50 people were forced to wait outside the Rotorua Courthouse, some in the rain, for about an hour as court queues caused delays. Potential jurors, defendants, supporters and court workers were among those mingling as they waited to...
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Hotel deal step closer for prime Lakefront site
Anew landmark hotel on Rotorua’s Lakefront is a significant step closer to reality with iwi landowners signing a deal with a developer. Pukeroa Lakefront Holdings Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with New Zealand developer Templeton...
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‘A recipe for disaster’
The principal of a Rotorua primary school has called on Rotorua Lakes Council and the New Zealand Transport Agency to address safety concerns around a nearby pedestrian crossing he describes as an “accident waiting to happen”. But the council says...
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Champion of Mā ori voices gains award
The true value of Dr Reuben Collier’s work will be in years to come, when the precious stories he’s documented can still be told. The Rotorua-based television producer, business owner and academic has been appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order...
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‘Absolute horror story’
Rotorua parents Michael and Frances Naera had a dream of renovating their family home so more whānau could live with them. They borrowed $792,000 from the bank and paid Tauranga building company CB Built the majority of that for what was meant to be a...
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‘Give this a chance’
Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell is defending upcoming parking changes after a backlash against a reduction in free parking spaces. From July 1, control of Rotorua’s parking services will return to council hands, bringing a sweeping overhaul of inner-city...
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$100m game changer
Several buildings between Pukuatua and Hinemoa Sts will be knocked down later this year as Rotorua makes way for its new courthouse development. The Government yesterday announced $100 million towards the Rotorua Law Courts on Pukuatua St. The...
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‘He never stopped hurrying and challenging life’
Ryan James Richmond had a “generous heart”. So for his family, workmates and tight-knit group of friends, it was said to be “particularly unfair” that a suspected sudden heart incident caused the 26-year-old to crash while riding a quad bike. Ryan...
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Mum’s heartbreak: ‘She deserved to grow older’
Almira Pasaol came to New Zealand from the Philippines for work to provide a better life for her family, but was killed by a drug driver. The 28-year-old’s life was cut short when Mark Antony Quinn crashed into her car near Kinleith, south of Rotorua,...
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Zero-emission fleet dreams delayed
Rotorua is stuck with its diesel-powered public buses after a funding snag played a part in setting back plans for zero-emission buses by years. The Bay of Plenty Regional Council, which runs the city’s urban bus network, had aimed to introduce...
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Black mould causes courthouse chaos
Judges have been forced to move out of the Rotorua Courthouse after black mould was found. Four sentencings have had to be adjourned as a result of the disruption, and a local lawyer says he suspects the problem could be more widespread. It’s the...
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City parking overhaul
Inner-city workers in Rotorua may find themselves paying up to $12 for a day’s parking from July 1 after a major overhaul of the city’s parking system was endorsed by councillors at a meeting on Wednesday. The council said the changes have the backing...
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Man avoids jail for crash that killed his friend
Ayoung man who drove at high speeds and crashed — killing his best mate — has avoided a prison sentence. Johdeci Te Kani was 17 when, while driving in convoy with friends after they’d all been drinking, he reached speeds of up to 130km/h before losing...
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‘Incredibly unlikely’
Afuture Bay of Plenty super council dominated by Tauranga is “incredibly unlikely”, Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell says. It comes as rural leaders are concerned major local government reform could dilute smaller communities’ voices. Western Bay of Plenty...
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‘I couldn’t even make my bed’
Rotorua mother Kimy Clendon thought Christmas in 2025 would be her last. The 44-year-old had been experiencing shortness of breath, chest pain, “major fatigue”, body aches, swollen legs, and an irregular heartbeat for two years. Her symptoms became so...
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Options explored after Iran war hits bin rollout
Alternative suppliers are being considered for Rotorua’s new organic waste bins after issues linked to the Iran war meant they could not be supplied as planned. Rotorua Lakes Council’s new waste collection system was due to start on July 1, but has...
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HE HAD A HEART OF GOLD
He was a young man with a heart of gold, a kind and caring manner like no other, an adored friend and a son who was his parents’ world. But at just 21, Rotorua’s Jacob Snyman has lost his life to a rare form of cancer. After what has been described...
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More than 8700 staff ‘still waiting’ for holiday pay
More than 8700 current and former healthcare workers in the Lakes district are “still waiting” for their Holidays Act remediation payments after a decade, leaving them angry and frustrated, a Rotorua Hospital union delegate says. The New Zealand...
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‘He just wanted to live . . . and we did’
Shane Luke’s “dream” was to run a drainlaying, plumbing and gas-fitting company. Four years ago, his dream was realised when he and his wife, Sara Luke, bought a Rotorua business. “Work was his hobby. He loved his work,” Sara told the Rotorua Daily...
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‘We’re losing too many men’
ARotorua widow whose husband died from prostate cancer in 2024 says a screening programme will save lives, memories and futures. Meanwhile, a Tauranga prostate cancer survivor says “too many men” are dying from the disease, amid calls for a national...
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‘An amazing iwi leader’
Behind Dr Ken Kennedy’s kind eyes and warm smile was a man with a gifted memory, a broad knowledge of iwi ancestry and a staunch passion for Māori language. Ken (Keneti) Cameron Kennedy, or Dr Ken as he was affectionately known, quietly went about...
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CASH GRAB
ARotorua drug dealer who had wads of cash totalling more than $25,000 stashed in different spots has been forced to forfeit the funds. Joseph Jacobs is serving a sixand-a-half-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to two charges of possession of...
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‘CONSTANT’ TURNOVER
Fatal car crashes are heartbreaking for the families involved — and they also impact emergency services personnel who respond. One Rotorua survivor praised responders for their compassion at the devastating scene of an Anzac Day crash, while police...
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Proposed rafting merger may be sunk
Akey player in the proposed merger of Rotorua’s commercial rafting companies is frustrated by new signs the Commerce Commission may block the deal despite support from the city’s tourism industry. Rotorua Rafting’s Sam Sutton says businesses will...
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‘A LEGACY’
Rotorua Boys’ High have captured the Sanix World Youth Rugby Championship for the third time, after an emphatic 46-19 victory over Feilding High School in the 2026 final in Fukuoka, Japan. Life cannot get any better for Rotorua, who now hold the...
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Fatberg causes sewage overflow into stream
Afatberg has been blamed for causing a sewer leak that contaminated a Rotorua waterhole last week, forcing it to close for two days. Residents are being asked to use the incident as a reminder of what not to flush down the loo. Redwoods Forest dog...
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Why the Bay is more ‘sceptical’ of migrants
The Bay of Plenty is the most “sceptical” region in the country towards migrants, a new report says. The new Helen Clark Foundation Social Cohesion report, which surveyed 2882 people last year, showed 45% of Bay residents believed immigration levels...
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Millions to undo damage from emergency housing
millions of taxpayer dollars have been spent fixing up damaged and rundown Rotorua motels after they were used for emergency housing. One ministry has spent about $3.6 million on jobs such as repainting rooms; replacing beds, mattresses, carpet,...
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‘I wish I could swap places with my brother’
‘Iwish I could swap places with my brother.” Those were the words of Kaci Tauroa, a young woman who drove dangerously and crashed, killing her 10-year-old brother Jax Tauroa-Wall. Tauroa’s letter was provided to Judge Greg Hollister-Jones and referred...
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Olympian takes on Rotorua Marathon
Olympic medallist Brooke Francis will ditch her oars for sneakers as she laces up for her first Rotorua Marathon. Rotorua resident Francis will join the start line of the 42.2km Red Stag Rotorua Marathon tomorrow. This event marks 62 years for the...
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Son jailed after neglect caused mum’s death
For 10 years, Stephen Bourke took good care of his mother. But now he’s been jailed after his neglect caused her death. The case has been described as one of a young man struggling and overwhelmed, rather than one of malicious intent. Gloria Bourke,...
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Rugby great dies in crash on way to dawn parade
He was a star representative rugby and tennis player, a husband, father, kaumātua and friend. Dinny Mohi was a legend. The 85-year-old’s remarkable life was cut short on Saturday morning in a crash near Ngongotahā on his way to the Ō hinemutu dawn...
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Turning tragedy into hope
Rotorua mother Elizabeth Pilaar faced the ‘unthinkable’ when her 19-year-old son, Michael Pilaar, died from melanoma. In a self-published memoir, Pilaar has written about the unexpected diagnosis and how the family brought ‘the best out of an awful...
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Big pay day for farmers
A“once in a lifetime” payout has landed in the bank accounts of Rotorua and Taupō dairy farmers following Fonterra’s $4.2 billion sale of its dairy brands. A farming leader predicts the payout will boost the local economy, with farmers buying more...
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In the footsteps of ‘a M¯aori boy so far from his home’
Standing in the rain at a war grave in France, Eremia Tapsell came face to face with a family story that began centuries earlier – and ended, for some, on the Western Front. With Anzac Day nearing, that moment has taken on deeper meaning, linking...
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Isolated residents soldier on after washout
Awoman swept away in floodwaters after plunging into a chasm on the washed-out Ngapouri Rd south of Rotorua now counts every day as a bonus. “Today is bonus day 13,” her husband said on Tuesday. That’s how the couple view life after her miraculous...
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Council writes off $12.4m
rotorua Lakes Council is writing off $12.4 million tied to its OneCouncil IT system after moving from a locally hosted version of its core business software to a cloud-based set-up. Council staff say the adjustment will not directly impact rates,...
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COLD CASE
Afaulty air conditioning system at Rotorua’s Courthouse saw the room temperature plummet, forcing a delay in a sexual assault jury trial involving a young complainant. Rotorua lawyers say it’s another disappointing episode involving the shocking...
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Major hotel hits market as tourism rebounds
Rotorua’s rebounding tourism market is being used to lure investors as a major hotel and a motel on Fenton St go on the market. The Copthorne Hotel, between Ward Ave and Maida Vale St, is for sale. It will soon be joined by the former Boulevard Motel,...
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Businesses battle fuel crisis
Rotorua businesses say they are cutting costs as fuel prices climb and supply fears grow. They are carpooling, reducing idle time and ramping up security to stop diesel theft. Rotorua Business Chamber chief executive Melanie Short said some businesses...
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Town mourns loss of two ‘great boys’
A resident says Kawerau is “silent” as locals mourn after a fatal incident at the Tarawera River. The community has been left reeling after two children were killed in a riverbank slip at Boyce Park on Thursday. The two boys have been named as Pauly...
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