Stories by Moana Ellis
News
'Some councils will be just about insolvent' - mayor's warning over water
The repeal of water service reforms has left some councils with significant debt problems, a district mayor says.
Mayor reflects on 'vastly different' iwi relations since occupation
The relationship between Māori and the Whanganui council today is "vastly different" compared to 29 years ago, mayor Andrew Tripe says.
Debate on scrapping GST on kai heads to Parliament
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi's members' bill to scrap GST on food has been drawn from the ballot, but a National MP says the government has other plans.
Decision on National Park Village name change months away
Iwi and residents of National Park have a long wait ahead for a decision on a bid to have the central North Island village renamed Waimarino.
Century-long saga: The six bids to change this village’s name
The latest request from local iwi to change the name of National Park Village and the nearby station to Waimarino is a chapter in a long tale.
Iwi bid to rename National Park village splits community
A close-knit community in the central North Island is divided over an iwi bid to change its name.
Govt advisor in firing line for 'potential conflict of interest' as Rātana speaker
A speaker accused of insulting Winston Peters and Shane Jones at Rātana is being investigated by the government department he works for.
Rangitīkei, Whanganui councils send strong message of support at Rātana
Local government leaders have addressed the paepae at Rātana with messages of support, laying down a plea for Māori to make their political views understood.
Mass protests 'just the beginning' as iwi prepare
Iwi leader Ken Mair says the turnout in Whanganui of hundreds of people in December is just the start.
'Deliberate strategy to erase us': Iwi prepare for national hui
Whanganui and neighbouring iwi will travel to Ngāruawāhia to meet with the Kiingitanga over concerns about the new government.
Submissions quadruple on iwi bid to rename National Park village
Submissions have more than quadrupled on an iwi proposal to change the name of National Park village and railway station in the central North Island.
'Fanaticism and barbarism': 'Offensive' Whanganui war memorial to be removed
The country's oldest war memorial will be removed from an historic Whanganui reserve following objections to an inscription condemning upriver Māori for "fanaticism and barbarism".
Submissions pour in for bid to rename village
It's not clear when Waimarino suddenly became just "National Park", but iwi are calling for the tourist village to be given its historic name back.
'Forty drives a week’: Chemo unit will save cancer patients hundreds of trips
Hundreds of cancer patients each year will be saved the stress of travelling to Palmerston North for treatment with the opening of Whanganui Hospital's new chemotherapy unit.
Support for tourist village to restore ‘most beautiful name’
An iwi bid to change the name of National Park back to Waimarino has been accepted by the Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa NZ Geographic Board.
Whanganui District Council votes for Māori wards
Whanganui is the last council in the Manawatū-Whanganui region to establish Māori wards.
Majority in favour of Māori wards in Whanganui – council survey
The majority of those who took part in a council survey want to see Māori wards introduced in Whanganui.
Horizons gets $5m boost for flood forecasting, early warning systems
The council said it has received more than $4.2m to build resilience to the impacts of climate change and recover from Cyclone Gabrielle.
Bike trail bridge connects National Park and new ecosanctuary
The longest suspension bridge in Aotearoa will be built as part of the infamous "missing link" of the Mountains to Sea trail in the central North Island.
How will Whanganui Hospital cope with a growing population?
Overburdened, understaffed, under-resourced, under the pump - all are words used to describe Whanganui Hospital's strained emergency department.
‘This is a reform’: Te Awa Tupua strategy unveiled for the Whanganui River
Iwi of the Whanganui River expect a new strategy unveiled on Friday will reform resource management in the catchment.
New strategy for wellbeing of Whanganui River to be unveiled
The long-term strategy to address the wellbeing of the Whanganui River system will be unveiled on Friday.
Whanganui breaks ground on $63m port rebuild
Regional Development and Emergency Management Minister Kieran McAnulty says the redevelopment of Whanganui Port sets the scene for continued economic growth and will build vital resilience for the…
Whanganui meeting calls for Māori wards and constitutional change
Whanganui will have Māori wards if its council gives weight to a public meeting strongly in favour of guaranteeing Māori representation.
Homecoming: Historic riverboat to sail once again on Whanganui River
After decades away, one of the last survivors of the historic Hatrick riverboat fleet has returned to the awa.