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Bulging primary school rolls have driven council to investigate fast tracking consenting for new school builds.
Details of the fast track probe, and the pressure facing schools across the city, were outlined in an agenda for a Hamilton City Council’s Strategic Growth and District Plan … View moreBulging primary school rolls have driven council to investigate fast tracking consenting for new school builds.
Details of the fast track probe, and the pressure facing schools across the city, were outlined in an agenda for a Hamilton City Council’s Strategic Growth and District Plan Committee meeting.
How's the roll at your local primary? Tell us in the comments (adding NFP if you don't want your words used in print).
ANALYSIS: Hamilton is set for a heavily-populated and feisty election contest for the city’s mayoralty and council seats this year.
Fifty-two individual candidates are standing for the mayoralty (12 contenders), a dozen general ward seats (42), and two Māori ward seats (six), the latest … View moreANALYSIS: Hamilton is set for a heavily-populated and feisty election contest for the city’s mayoralty and council seats this year.
Fifty-two individual candidates are standing for the mayoralty (12 contenders), a dozen general ward seats (42), and two Māori ward seats (six), the latest nominations show.
Last year, Pixie Blake thought indoor bowls was like ten-pin bowling.
Now the nine-year-old is Waikato’s youngest titleholder in the sport, after a victory alongside team mates who are several decades older.
Have you ever tried indoor bowls? Tell us more in the comments (adding NFP if you … View moreLast year, Pixie Blake thought indoor bowls was like ten-pin bowling.
Now the nine-year-old is Waikato’s youngest titleholder in the sport, after a victory alongside team mates who are several decades older.
Have you ever tried indoor bowls? Tell us more in the comments (adding NFP if you don't want your words used in print).
Butter, power bills, and those sneaky surcharges on your card ... it feels like everything’s creeping up in price lately. We’ve seen the headlines, but we want to hear it from you.
Overall, Most Kiwis say they’re ‘not prospering’. But, according to Retirement Commission data, some … View moreButter, power bills, and those sneaky surcharges on your card ... it feels like everything’s creeping up in price lately. We’ve seen the headlines, but we want to hear it from you.
Overall, Most Kiwis say they’re ‘not prospering’. But, according to Retirement Commission data, some members of our community (women, Māori, and Pacific people) are experiencing worsening financial positions at elevated rates.
Stats NZ tells us that food prices have jumped 4.6% since this time last year, with meat and dairy doing most of the damage. This jump is hitting us all, but groceries are just one part of the picture.
When basic costs keep climbing, the old cost-saving tricks — like bulk-buying or stockpiling on sale — don’t always work. Who can afford to spend more upfront when every dollar already has a job?
We want to know: What costs have caught you off guard the most? What are the expenses that feel impossible to juggle right now?
Share your thoughts below!
Don't forget to enter a Bright Spot in your home, workplace or community for a chance to win one of ten amazing prizes! Whether it's a colourful fence, a mural in your office or a place in the community that makes you smile - we'd love to see it.
Share a Bright Spot today for a … View moreDon't forget to enter a Bright Spot in your home, workplace or community for a chance to win one of ten amazing prizes! Whether it's a colourful fence, a mural in your office or a place in the community that makes you smile - we'd love to see it.
Share a Bright Spot today for a chance to win one of ten prize packs worth $500.
And make sure you check out the entries so far too.
Friday 15 August, and Saturday, 16 August, 10 am - 2 pm.
Come and experience the warmth of our Ryman village communities. We'd love to show you around.
Discover our lifestyle and care options, tour our show homes and explore our premium amenities.
Reporter Avina Vidyadharan is learning to swim - follow along to see how it goes.
Heels, hips, hands, and head—above water, and I am swimming. Sounds easy, right?
Well, try telling that to my 29-year-old limbs, which apparently missed the memo on how to do a very basic (Kiwi) thing.
Eleanor Cater of our peak body Community Foundations of Aotearoa NZ penned this engaging column below for The Post in Wellington, and then republished it on the CFANZ site.
"It’s a demographic shift where women will eventually become the main drivers and decision makers around family … View moreEleanor Cater of our peak body Community Foundations of Aotearoa NZ penned this engaging column below for The Post in Wellington, and then republished it on the CFANZ site.
"It’s a demographic shift where women will eventually become the main drivers and decision makers around family wealth, transforming wealth management, including estate planning and philanthropy.
This has been coined the ‘horizontal wealth transfer’, a term somewhat patriarchal and simplistic in its nature as it doesn’t take into account women as co-owners of family wealth, non-nuclear families, or individual economic independence. Nevertheless, it’s a term that is sticking - and it’s easy to see why."
The new principal of a beleaguered Hamilton high school is already making his mark, just a few weeks into the job.
Mangakōtukutuku College principal Jim Hay-Mackenzie, started on July 14 and is confident the school is heading in the right direction to become a “community school” - one where… View moreThe new principal of a beleaguered Hamilton high school is already making his mark, just a few weeks into the job.
Mangakōtukutuku College principal Jim Hay-Mackenzie, started on July 14 and is confident the school is heading in the right direction to become a “community school” - one where students achieve at the same level as others in town.
Hamilton is embracing its identity as a rest and relaxation destination, and the city’s first fully fenced wildlife sanctuary is poised to become another jewel in the crown of that brand.
Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park will soon be enclosed by a predator-proof fence, creating a safe haven … View moreHamilton is embracing its identity as a rest and relaxation destination, and the city’s first fully fenced wildlife sanctuary is poised to become another jewel in the crown of that brand.
Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park will soon be enclosed by a predator-proof fence, creating a safe haven for native birds, reptiles and invertebrates in the heart of the Te Kaaroro Nature Precinct.
What do you reckon about this plan? Tell us your reasons in the comments (adding NFP if you don't want your words used in print).
The Government says it's scrapping those annoying card surcharges – and it’s happening next year.
Consumer NZ is stoked, saying these sneaky surcharges cost Kiwis around $65 million a year and should’ve been gone ages ago.
But not everyone’s convinced it’s a win. Labour and … View moreThe Government says it's scrapping those annoying card surcharges – and it’s happening next year.
Consumer NZ is stoked, saying these sneaky surcharges cost Kiwis around $65 million a year and should’ve been gone ages ago.
But not everyone’s convinced it’s a win. Labour and Hospitality NZ are worried the costs won’t just disappear. Labour MP Arena Williams put it simply: there should not be surcharges for customers at all. But she points out that the Government’s plan does not deal with banks and merchants “who still scoop a big fee”.
Many of our community are rocked by the recent announcement. Retailers warn card surcharge ban could lead to higher prices - the unfortunatel reality is that small businesses are feeling the squeeze along with their customers. In comparison, large retailers pay significantly lower banking fees and ultimately have more leverage at the negotiation table.
💸 So someone still pays – but who?
We want to know: Who should be covering this cost?
Share your thoughts in the comments!
Visitors to Hamilton Zoo will soon be able to pop across the road to Hamilton’s first fenced sanctuary.
Hamilton’s Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park is edging closer to becoming a fully fenced wildlife sanctuary, with funding for the predator-proof fence now just shy of its $3.3 million … View moreVisitors to Hamilton Zoo will soon be able to pop across the road to Hamilton’s first fenced sanctuary.
Hamilton’s Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park is edging closer to becoming a fully fenced wildlife sanctuary, with funding for the predator-proof fence now just shy of its $3.3 million target.
Do you like the idea of a fenced wildlife sanctuary on the edge of Hamilton? Tell us your reasons in the comments (adding NFP if you don't want your words used in print).
Thanks to a generous gift, 730 Hectares in Kaituna Valley are now protected for everyone to enjoy
Four incredible donors have come together to gift 730 hectares of land in the Kaituna Valley to the nation — a multimillion-dollar contribution that will benefit generations to come.
This land,… View moreThanks to a generous gift, 730 Hectares in Kaituna Valley are now protected for everyone to enjoy
Four incredible donors have come together to gift 730 hectares of land in the Kaituna Valley to the nation — a multimillion-dollar contribution that will benefit generations to come.
This land, which has now been protected and opened to the public, forms part of a much larger conservation area — nearly 2,400 hectares stretching from sea level at Whakaraupō/Lyttelton Harbour, up to the Summit Walkway, and back down into the Kaituna Valley.
Once used for farming, the land has now been cleared of livestock, and pest control efforts are underway to help native plants and wildlife thrive. The goal? A richer, more diverse ecosystem that everyone can experience and be proud of.
This is a powerful example of how the actions of a few can have a huge impact. Thanks to their vision and generosity, a precious piece of our natural heritage is now protected.
Read more about the Massive win for conservation and recreation in the Kaituna.
We hope this news brings a smile!
Whether it's pre-schoolers or seniors, Scottish dancing or salsa, kapa haka or Kathak, breakdance or ballet - if you're encouraging people of all ages and abilities to keep moving through dance, we have three $5000 Love to Dance grants up for grabs.
Click read more to nominate your … View moreWhether it's pre-schoolers or seniors, Scottish dancing or salsa, kapa haka or Kathak, breakdance or ballet - if you're encouraging people of all ages and abilities to keep moving through dance, we have three $5000 Love to Dance grants up for grabs.
Click read more to nominate your community dance group.
Applications close 31 August 2025.
Transform regular casement windows into elegant grid-style options that double as pretty shelving – perfect for those small, sun-loving plants. Find out how to transform your windows with these easy step by step instructions.
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