Poll: What is the top issue you want the local council to focus on?
The local elections are a great opportunity to decide on who we want to represent our communities over the next three years.
With elections just around the corner, this is a good time to pinpoint the issues that affect you and are important to you. Being clear on this is a first step in knowing what you want your local councillors to support or who to vote for. What are the issues you want your next local council to focus on?
-
33% Rates
-
10.8% Housing
-
15% Roads
-
3.6% Public transport
-
9.3% Water
-
4.9% Waste
-
8.9% Climate + environment
-
10.2% Infrastructure
-
4.3% Local facilities (like parks and libraries)
Poll: Should the government levy industries that contribute to financial hardship?
As reported in the Post, there’s a $30 million funding gap in financial mentoring. This has led to services closing and mentors stepping in unpaid just to keep helping people in need 🪙💰🪙
One proposed solution? Small levies on industries that profit from financial hardship — like banks, casinos, and similar companies.
So we want to hear what you think:
Should the government ask these industries to contribute?
-
58.9% Yes, supporting people is important!
-
26.1% No, individuals should take responsibility
-
15% ... It is complicated
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.
Tamahere home in dentist case was once centre of accountant’s fraud
It’s been a feature in a recent Hamilton District Court trial , but a Tamahere mansion already has an complicated history.
The property in Woodcock Rd - notable for having a hydroslide in the back yard - the scene of now-disproved alleged sexual offending by Hamilton dentist Rahul Gautam - made headlines more than 15 years ago, when it was a focus in the case of accountant Gary Soffe.
Loading…
