Stories by Laura Smith

The team who enforce rules on the water in the Bay of Plenty are anticipating a busy few months after dishing out 150 infringements last summer.

Staff at the Rotorua Blue Lake Top 10 holiday park are picking up a bag of garbage from the lakefront every day - and want the bins reinstated.

Has Springfield Golf Course been saved?

Rotorua leaders welcome Auckland flights but worry about losing key Wellington service.

The new owner of the brand has its first day today.

Liquidators will take care of the Maketū Pies business while they find a buyer.

Plans to turn a hill of grass into a multisport skatepark are rolling forward with concept designs on the way.

Maketū Pies has gone into voluntary liquidation after five years of losses.

The injunction is aimed at stopping "interference" with sewerage pipeline construction near Rotorua - which implications for protests against the project.

Geoff Thomas - of Outdoors with Geoff fame - has called a council's claim "scandalous".

Will Rotorua motels house the homeless for another year? Commissioner to consider evidence, following emergency housing motel hearing.

Under-fire freedom campers say they do support local businesses on their travels.

The move comes as Rotorua Lakes Council waits for a court decision to stop "interference" from mana whenua protesting the $29 million Tarawera Sewerage Scheme.

The Rotorua leg of the international mountain biking festival was boycotted by some - but still drew thousands of visitors and was worth millions to Rotorua's economy, its organiser says.

"Rotorua seems to keep missing out," Tania Tapsell mayor says.

The mayor says the community wants its spas back. But major project costs are climbing.

A protestor says the council's issues could have been avoided if it listened better.

Rotorua Lakes Council's newly agreed lease offer rules out using Springfield Golf Course for housing.

There is 10 percent remaining on stage one of the $29m project that will see 446 homes connected to a wastewater reticulation system.

"Rotorua's local council allowed these dogs to almost kill me."

"I don't want to be a grumpy neighbour,' Tom Stephenson says. "You just get sick of it."

The country's busiest Citizens Advice Bureau faces a "frightening" time as it seeks to fill a funding shortfall of $35,000.

Rotorua's mayor is worried scrapping minimum apartment size rules would allow motel rooms to be turned into housing.

Graffiti more than tripled in Rotorua in the year to 30 June - costing ratepayers more than $100,000.

New Zealand's longest-serving councillor has shared his sadness after the death of his long-time friend, Kiingi Tuheitia, who died on Friday morning.