Latest fromTauranga

Barber shop in Pāpāmoa there for the bros
Barber shop by day – men's mental health group by night.

'Not exactly a vote winner': Is it time to start taxing inheritances?
'Long story short we will have more old people than young people to collect tax from.'

Local Focus: Pāpāmoa becoming a surf skate mecca for women
"To see girls skateboarding – whatever they're skating – is just fantastic."

One in five Bay Māori now fully vaccinated
Māori vaccination rates in the Bay of Plenty are behind the national figure.

Man admits inciting hostility towards Māori in video
A Pāpāmoa Beach man has admitted posting a video online inciting racial disharmony

'A long rolling kind of experience': Bay Kiwis in Melbourne react to 5.9 earthquake
Kiwis from the Bay of Plenty say Melbourne's buildings rocked and rolled.

We'll be there: Customers eager to support bakery hit by Covid scare
Uppercrust Bakery was named a location of interest.

Squatters, overcrowding products of Tauranga's housing shortage
'No clear answers' to Tauranga's housing shortage and affordability crisis, says council.

'A disaster': Why the costs of building a new home in Tauranga are skyrocketing
Some builders, contractors and homeowners have 'walked away' from new builds.

Pūrākau O Mauao: Otūmoetai College students put in the work to share local legend
The Otūmoetai College students have been working all year to create Te Pūrākau O Mauao.

'Absolutely' a worry: Why Tauranga is vulnerable to Covid-19
An investigator said the vaccination was a great way to reduce vulnerability to Covid-19.

Covid-19: 'Undercurrent of frustration' over mask wearing
Compliance with people wearing face masks is high, say Tauranga business leaders.

Students ordered to isolate after leaving Auckland for Tauranga classes
The students were immediately stood down from class and told to self-isolate at home.

Three Aucklanders referred to health authorities after Tauranga trip
The Bay of Plenty DHB has been contacted for comment.

Merepeka Raukawa-Tait: The layers behind low Māori vaccination rates
OPINION: A message to our vulnerable families - We can't do this without you.

Claire Trevett: Coming soon - Simon Bridges 2: back in the hot seat
When your party falls to its worst result in 20 years, a coup is not "panic" - it is CPR.

Worth the risk? Experts predict Auckland's lockdown exit
Is it worth risking cases going back up if it means ending lockdown?

'It was like an investment': Anaru Palmer shares his te reo Māori journey
Anaru Palmer says those keen to learn te reo Māori should "give it everything".

'Enough's enough': Aucklanders in lockdown eye Tauranga properties
REINZ: Tauranga has reached yet another record median house price of $970,000

'If you're that ballsy, then front up': Māori flag designer
Linda Munn was absolutely disgusted someone complained a Rotorua kuia was flying her flag.

Level 4 hit: House sale numbers drop to lowest level since 2014
Lockdown started 11.59, August 17: sales affected for nearly half the month.

Buddy Mikaere: Te reo Māori has come a long way since 1972
OPINION: I am proud to see the evolution of Māori language into the national lingo.

Te Rawhitiroa Bosch: 'With another language comes another worldview'
Te Rawhitiroa says his life would be 'pretty vanilla' if te reo Māori wasn't a part of it.

'They call me the miracle guy': Mr Whippy beats rare kidney disease
"For some strange reason, the kidneys decided to work again."

Commissioners' plea: Housing shortfall a challenge too big to face alone
Tauranga City Council's commissioners have pleaded to the Government for help.

Mask or pass? Students decide as schools return
Face-to-face learning at schools and early childhood centres is under way in the Bay.

'Significant' changes for methyl bromide use underwhelm
Changes are coming for use of the gas at the Port of Tauranga but locals aren't impressed.

Cat curfew? Ban proposed as dead sea birds pile up
The Western Bay Wildlife Trust is urging people to keep their cats inside at night.

141 port workers in Bay unvaccinated, some risk redeployment
Over 100 port workers in the private sector are yet to be vaccinated by September 30.