Are we losing our regional towns? Dom George investigates rural depopulation.

One of the current Hawke's Bay regional councillors who has strongly opposed the Ruataniwha Dam and, party to many comments regarding

During the recent election debates here in CHB, it was claimed by some that the Ruataniwha Dam was not an issue for the District Council

The Country host Jamie Mackay tackles his detractors in this week's column, but it's not all bad news.

The public and media reaction to the latest rugby 'scandals' has reached witch hunt proportions. There might well be a case for

The Ruataniwha Dam saga has gone way beyond soap opera territory. Fantasy has long since replaced fact. The Noisy have silenced

Dairy farmers have started huddling in barns and sheds for the first of DairyNZ's post-calving discussion groups. The well-run, informative

COMMENT: Trump has turned international trade into a political minefield with his opposition to agreements like the TPP.

Dom George looks at both sides of the rural/urban story to try and see if everyone can play nice.

The host of The Country, Jamie MacKay, promoted it as "The Great Water Quality Debate". He introduced the two protagonists using political

The Country's resident cynic investigates the murky world of social-media one-upmanship.

COMMENT: If the success of the rat-kill on Rakitu Island is anything to go by, NZ is unlikely to be clear of pests by 2050.

Jamie Mackay wades in to the water quality debate

COMMENT: There has been serious attention paid to concussion in sport recently.

Poor Cynthia. Cynthia Bowers has suggested an Environmental Ombudsman for Hawke's Bay. Given the heated debates about water quality

With calving almost over and mating on the horizon it's time to have a review of one of the most significant decisions you will make

COMMENT: New Zealand's economy has grown by 3.6 per cent in the past year, one of the top performers in the OECD - ahead of Australia, the US and UK.

Three things cropped up this week as brainstorming material in the intriguing bubble we call sport. No1: Stephen Kearney's appointment

Dom George wonders if Marcella Bakker is really looking for love or just looking for a TV show...

COMMENT: There is widespread evidence that interactions between people and marine mammals can have negative outcomes.

Spring is the month for blossoms, lambs and...bees! I found out this week that September is Bee Aware Month. This is initiated

In the back country, everyone knows everyone - and they joke they're probably related as well. In emergencies, this connectedness

Craig Presland, CEO of Cooperative Business New Zealand believes this country is an outstanding example of the enduring success of the co-operative business model.

Dom George writes a touching and heartfelt and in no way sarcastic tribute to his boss The Country host Jamie Mackay.

Like most people in Hawke's Bay I feel very sorry about what's happened in Havelock North. However, the longer it takes for authorities

COMMENT: Winston Peters is a political showman who likes to keep 'em guessing, including those in his own party.

The New Zealand First conference in the weekend showed that Winston Peters is becoming the hybrid "Trump and Sanders of New Zealand politics".

Jamie Mackay ruminates on the location of those 500 missing cows in this week's From the Lip.

Over the past fortnight we have started to see the first signs of spring, with pasture growth rates lifting from the mid teens to

COMMENT: Every time Father's Day rolls around, it makes me think about the huge influence a father can have upon a daughter.