new HCC targeted rate
While watching the online council discussions today I learnt that the 5 year targeted 'govt compliance' rate of 4.5% will after the 5 years carry on and be added into the general rate, not come to an end as I had assumed. So 8.9% will then be the baseline for rates increases. The council is getting better and better at hiding the details.
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Share your favourite main crop potato recipe and win a copy of our mag!
Love potatoes? We will give away free copies of the May 2026 issue to readers whose potato recipes are used in our magazine. To be in the running, make sure you email your family's favourite way to enjoy potatoes: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, by March 1, 2026.
Raglan tops unpaid rates bill list in Waikato District
More than $1.3 million in unpaid rates is owed to Waikato District Council by just 10 property owners — including one Raglan ratepayer who owes nearly a quarter of a million dollars.
An Official Information Act response reveals the council’s worst rates arrears, with a single Raglan property topping the list at $234,017.07 outstanding.
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