Stories by Craig Ashworth
News
Paltry payouts as bids surge for new council Māori fund
Many applicants fell short of their hopes for a new fund to boost community grants for Māori in New Plymouth after scant council dollars were doled out evenly between bidders.
Hapū and Greenpeace take windmills to appeal court
Several Ngāruahine hapū will be in the Court of Appeal with Greenpeace on Tuesday to seek tighter controls on a wind-powered hydrogen plant in South Taranaki.
Iwi dispute puts council between a rock and a hard place
New Plymouth councillors say they are the meat in the sandwich as they puzzle how to deal with a dispute between two iwi.
You know where we are: Bach owners challenged to meet iwi
Onaero Bay campground bach owners have been invited to meet their local iwi after complaining they were ignored in planning for a revamp of the Taranaki beachfront reserve.
Iwi owner keen on co-management of beach reserve
The iwi that owns a Taranaki beachfront campground reserve is backing a proposal to co-manage its land with the local council.
Taranaki Maunga agreement to be initialled on Friday
Co-governance of the 36,000-hectare park has been hammered out, and a deal over the future of the maunga will not end the need to involve iwi and hapū in running the national park.
Lost species, missing seaweed, dead eels: 40 years on the Taranaki coast
A Parihaka kaumātua who patrols the Taranaki coast says it will take years to recover devastated marine ecosystems.
Underwater survey finds abundant reefs off Pātea coast
A high-tech search of the seabed near Pātea has found an unexpected bounty of reefs teeming with life, alongside a zone targeted by a would-be seabed miner.
Toxic well underlines windmill plan fears in Taranaki
A contaminated well that can no longer supply a marae highlights the fears driving the latest court action against a wind-to-hydrogen plant.
Taranaki kaimoana ban given legal teeth
The government has banned collection of kaimoana from 70 kilometres of the Taranaki coast, giving legal backing to a rāhui that hapū placed on the area in January.
Hapū and Greenpeace back to court for stricter hydrogen rules
Some hapū of Ngāruahine are heading to the Appeal Court with Greenpeace to seek tighter controls on a plan to make hydrogen from wind-powered electricity in South Taranaki.
Māori sail visit closes century old circle
A traditionally-woven Māori sail is coming to Urenui this weekend, completing a circle begun a century ago.
Ambitious iwi-council multiuse centre inches closer
A joint iwi-council bid to build a multipurpose community and sports centre in Manāia is a step closer to reality.
Māori wards did not inspire voters: What next to boost democracy?
Māori wards have been only half successful in Taranaki, with voter turnout for the new wards a third lower than overall turnout across the region.
'Loss of land and loss of life': Ngāti Maru apology highlights devastation of land theft
Of the 171 tupuna of Ngāti Maru iwi living between 1880 and 1920 only half have descendants who survive today.
New Plymouth would-be mayors strong believers in Māori wards
The group of candidates vying for New Plymouth's mayoral chains are among the country's strongest believers that Māori wards will boost participation in local elections.
Candidate hui challenges councils and iwi chairs
A hui of Māori local government candidates has challenged not only councils, but also the iwi leaders who called the meeting.
Whānau battle for new council seat
An uncle and his nephew are competing for a new Māori ward in South Taranaki District.
Ngāti Maru call to come home for Treaty apology
The call has gone out for whānau to come home and celebrate the final Treaty of Waitangi iwi settlement in Taranaki.
Poo bug makes 80 percent of Taranaki rivers unswimmable
Ongoing contamination by a faecal bug has left just a fifth of Taranaki rivers clean enough to swim in, according to a new assessment for Taranaki Regional Council.
Judge tells polluting composter to consider surrender
A judge has advised an industrial waste processor to consider abandoning its fight to continue running a polluting composting works in Taranaki, and instead focus on cleaning up the site.
Non-toxic compost stink could still make people sick
Taranaki's top public health doctor says the smells coming from an industrial composting works do not have to be toxic to impact on neighbours' health.
More Māori land to be free from rates
A range of Māori land will be free from rates in New Plymouth if district councillors approve a revamp of the current rules.
Iwi gain equal say over Taranaki Maunga in Treaty settlement
Iwi will have equal say with the Crown in managing Taranaki Maunga and the national park, as part of redress for the confiscation of the mountain.
United Taranaki hapū ask minister for kaimoana ban
The fisheries minister is considering an application from the hapū of Taranaki iwi to ban shellfish collection along their coastline for two years.