Stories by Matthew Rosenberg
News
Gisborne falling behind in water fluoridation
Gisborne's water is some of the least adequately fluoridated in the country, recent research has uncovered.
Gisborne bus drivers among country's lowest paid bus drivers: Campaign to lift bus driver rates
Gisborne bus drivers are some of the lowest paid in the country according to a union pushing for pay equity across the industry.
Gisborne council criticised for interaction with homeless man caught on camera
Gisborne District Council is being criticised for its handling of a homeless community member after a video circulated on social media showing an employee in an altercation with the man.
Former pig mask-wearing cop makes council, breaches campaign rules
A former police officer who wore a pig mask while on duty has made it on to Gisborne District Council after waiting nearly a week for confirmation.
'There'll be a lot of upset people': Land closed at popular Gisborne surf spot
A section of foreshore next to a popular Gisborne beach will be closed indefinitely to vehicles after four-wheel drivers "desecrated" it.
Stoltz re-elected Gisborne mayor in dominant victory
Rehette Stoltz has secured a second term as mayor of Gisborne with an emphatic win, more than 4000 votes clear of her nearest rival.
Wairoa Mayor Craig Little pleased to win ‘horrible’ campaign
Craig Little has secured a fourth term as mayor of Wairoa with a resounding victory, clocking up twice as many votes as the second place candidate.
Tairāwhiti mayoral candidates endorse Māori wards
Mayoral candidates in Gisborne and Wairoa have shown overwhelming support for Māori wards, but there are differences in opinion on other key election topics.
Gisborne council candidate wore pig mask while on duty as police officer
A Gisborne council candidate basing part of his campaign on the fact he was a police officer underwent disciplinary action for wearing a pig mask while on duty.
New Zealand climber shares story of horror 80ft Yosemite fall
A Kiwi student who broke nearly every bone in her body after a nightmare rock climbing fall in California last month has made it home to New Zealand.
What happened to City Watch? Leaked report reveals Gisborne group's demise
Accusations of foul language, intimidating behaviour and conspiring to record a conversation spelt the end of a council-run group designed to be the eyes and ears of the city, a leaked report shows.
'Archaic' rule disadvantages election hopefuls: Gisborne councillor
An incumbent district councillor in Gisborne believes election rules disadvantage newcomers from securing a seat at the table.
Wairoa mayoral candidate questions council's handling of electoral process
A Wairoa mayoral candidate engaged in an employment dispute with the district council he once worked for has again found himself in a difficult spot, this time over election hoardings.
'I own it man': Council candidates stand by controversial posts
A Gisborne mayoral candidate is standing by a controversial picture on social media which shows him standing in a hazmat suit with a swastika on the front.
'Democracy is alive': Candidate events kick off in Tairāwhiti
Tairāwhiti got its first taste of the options for this year's local body elections last night as nominees took the opportunity to introduce themselves at a "meet the candidates" event.
Māhia resident upset at council over privacy breach
A Māhia resident says he has been left "numb" by the publishing of his personal information in the local newspaper via a district council response.
'It's stuffed': Climate change exacerbating erosion in Māhia
The coastal road providing the main access to Māhia Peninsula is slowly dropping into the sea, leaving one concerned resident wondering what plan of action is to be taken.
Gisborne councillor apologises over comments aimed at mayor
Gisborne district councillor Meredith Akuhata-Brown has apologised for comments aimed at the mayor but was absent at a council meeting where an in-person apology was expected.
'That's just what it's come to': Gisborne family breaks into empty Kāinga Ora home
Desperation has forced a young Tairāwhiti family to break down the door of an empty Kāinga Ora home and take up residence this month, even though utilities were disconnected.
Tokomaru residents still displaced, months after flood
Residents of a small East Coast town are still feeling the pinch from extreme weather in March, with some locked out of homes that have been red-stickered for months.
'Nothing could be saved': Tolaga Bay’s lone wharf light gone, destroyed
A lone lamp post that once kept watch at the end of a historic East Coast wharf is no more, removed for safety reasons despite the council expecting pushback.
Saga of the shipwrecked San Rosa continues
New information has emerged on the ordeal endured by the crew of a shipwrecked boat the day it got into difficulty in rough seas off the East Coast.
Tairāwhiti tops hazardous drinking list
Tairāwhiti has the highest hazardous drinking rate in the country according to a report presented to Gisborne District Council.
Fears neglectful dog owners getting off lightly in Gisborne
The former head of animal control at Gisborne District Council is concerned negligent dog owners aren't being held to account in Tairāwhiti.
Clogged river a 'disaster', Gisborne council called out
Gisborne District Council has lost control of a river which frequently overflows and causes major issues for growers in the region, a resident claims.