Tāmaki Herenga Waka Festival is on tonight!
The story of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and the waka that sailed here will take centre stage in January 2020 when the region celebrates its Māori heritage through the Tāmaki Herenga Waka Festival.
For the first time since its inaugural year in 2016, the Festival will feature both land and water performances that will go on into the night, as well as storytelling that captures the region’s rich waka history which shaped the Tāmaki Makaurau we know and love today.
Highlights include:
• Gates open 5.30pm
• Waka showcase
• A marketplace of kai and toi (art)
• A land stage for performances and storytelling (6pm – 9.30pm)
• A water stage for performances and storytelling (9.30pm – 11pm)
• Kapa haka
• Contemporary Māori dance
• Music
• Vector Lights on the Auckland Harbour Bridge
Check out the full festival line-up on aucklandnz.com/tamakifest
Poll: 🗑️ Would you be keen to switch to a fortnightly rubbish collection, or do you prefer things as they are?
Aucklanders, our weekly rubbish collections are staying after councillors voted to scrap a proposed trial of fortnightly pick-ups.
We want to hear from you: would you be keen to switch to a fortnightly rubbish collection, or do you prefer things as they are?
Keen for the details? Read up about the scrapped collection trial here.
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83.9% Same!
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16.1% Would have liked to try something different
Poll: Is it ok to regift something that you have been given?
🎁 Holiday Gift Chat!
Do you ever regift?
What’s your take on asking for a receipt if a gift doesn’t fit?
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79.3% Yes! It's better to regift what I don't need
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20.7% No. It's the thought and effort that matters
By-election for Otara-Papatoetoe area
Just to let everyone know that we have another by-election happening, and here is the reason why. Below are details and dates, so keep an eye on your letter boxes.
The Manukau Court’s Ruling
The Manukau District Court determined that the Papatoetoe subdivision result of the Ōtara–Papatoetoe Local Board election was invalid, ruling that the outcome had been “materially affected” by voting irregularities. Judge Richard McIlraith found that the scale and nature of the irregularities met the legal threshold required to void an election under New Zealand’s local electoral laws.
In his decision, Judge McIlraith stated that the evidence presented — including reports of stolen voting papers, fraudulent use of ballots, and other procedural irregularities — was sufficient to conclude that the integrity of the election had been compromised. The court noted that at least 79 voting papers were identified as having been cast without the rightful voter’s knowledge during a judicially supervised examination of ballot boxes.
While the judge acknowledged that the election had been administered “properly and in accordance with all requirements” by Independent Election Services and the electoral officer, he concluded that the fraudulent activity originated outside the official process and nonetheless impacted the final result to a degree that required the election to be voided.
As a result of the ruling, the court ordered that a new election must be held, with Auckland Council confirming that the fresh poll must be completed by 9 April 2026
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