Posts by Waikato Local
360 days ago

One council's looking into a specialist rates debt collector

Libby Reporter from Waikato Local

Rates debt is on the rise all across the Waikato region with every council contacted by the Waikato Times reporting an increase in outstanding rates debt and a combined bill topping $50m.

As more people struggle to pay, the South Waikato District Council is looking to employ a specialist rates debt collector in an effort to recoup more than $3.5m in unpaid rates from cash-strapped locals.

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More messages from your neighbours
3 days ago

Poll: If we want to reduce speeding, what do you think actually changes driver behaviour? 🛻🚨🚓

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

In the Post's article on speeding penalties, the question is asked whether speeding fines are truly about road safety, or are they just a way to boost revenue for the Crown?

What do you think? Should speeding motorists receive speeding fines or demerit points?

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If we want to reduce speeding, what do you think actually changes driver behaviour? 🛻🚨🚓
  • 37.5% The sting of a fine (Money talks!)
    37.5% Complete
  • 62.5% The threat of demerit points (Nobody wants to lose their license!)
    62.5% Complete
667 votes
20 minutes ago

Hamilton woman fights for 21-year rates refund after council admits mistake

Libby Totton Reporter from Waikato Times

A pilates studio owner whose rates were overcharged for 21 years is fighting to get the money refunded by the city council.

Progressive Pilates owner Sonia Lidington estimated she had paid an extra $20,000 over the years, but Hamilton City Council has said it can only refund her $7416.

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9 days ago

Some Choice News!

Kia pai from Sharing the Good Stuff

DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.

Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.

For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.

Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?

We hope this brings a smile!

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