Stories by Robin Martin
News
Community wins battle against major subdivision
A controversial proposal for a new subdivision in the beach settlement of Ōākura in New Plymouth has been rejected.
Sister of Hāwera man who died in custody: 'The police wouldn't talk to us'
The family of a man who died in custody at the Hāwera police station last year say they were stone-walled by police when they tried to find out what happened to him.
Traffic light glitch, poor driver behaviour blamed for Awakino gridlock
A short phasing traffic light at road works is being blamed for holding up hundreds of holidaymakers in gridlock in the Awakino Gorge on State Highway 3 in Taranaki yesterday.
Rental market demand soars as Covid-19 forces NZers home
Covid-19 adds further pressure to some cities already struggling with squeezed rental property markets, as the number of vulnerable people unable to afford housing also rises.
Taranaki 'shovel ready' projects still in contention for funds
Five Taranaki projects have made the shortlist for government funding for 'shovel-ready' projects, including a revamp to Yarrow Stadium, but some aren't so convinced.
Offshore wind farm proponents warned surf breaks will be protected
Proponents of an idea to build massive offshore wind farms off the coast of Taranaki are being warned its surf breaks will soon be protected and cannot be disturbed.
Farmers in drought: 'We just wonder if it will ever rain again'
Farmers in parched regions of the country say the rain that has fallen over the past 24 hours is a small reprieve - but it's no drought breaker.
Friend describes man shot by police as a 'tough and cool guy'
A lifelong friend of the man shot and killed by police in Waitara this week says he doesn't hold a grudge against the officers involved in the death of Alan Rowe - who he simply knew as Snow.
Man shot dead in Waitara named
The man who was shot dead by police in northern Taranaki last night has been named.
Oil tanker off Taranaki poses spill risk that could cost taxpayers
Taxpayers could end up liable if a ship anchored off Taranaki spills any of its 40,000 barrels worth of crude oil.
Sign of the times: Renovations reveal signage and secrets
Renovations on a heritage building have set tongues wagging after they revealed signage dating back to when New Plymouth only had four-digit phone numbers.
Month in quarantine bars Brisbane-based man's bid to see dying mum
A New Zealand man living in Brisbane has given up hope of seeing his dying mother in Auckland because he can't afford to be put in mandatory quarantine on both sides of the Tasman.
'It's disrespectful' - Woman's travel exemption approved after mother dies
Desperate to get to New Zealand to see her mother before she died, a woman applied for an exemption to the travel ban but it took too long.
Drought relief 'too little too late'
A Hawke's Bay farmer says the government's latest drought relief package - a $500,000 fund for advisory services - is a "drop in the ocean".
Denied visits for dying relatives: support for reviews of decisions
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the response to such appeals to break mandatory quarantine on compassionate grounds should not be an "automated" one.
What economic activity is small business seeing?
Retailers and small outlets say economic activity under alert level 3 is doing very little to help their prospects of recovery.
Taranaki tourism operators welcome slight upturn after lockdown
Accommodation providers in Taranaki are seeing signs that domestic tourism could help them recover from the devastation caused by the Covid-19 coronavirus.
Dairy sector wants NZers to reconsider life on the farm
The dairy industry wants New Zealanders to fall back in love with life on the farm, with the migrant workforce unavailable due to Covid-19 and the sector needing to fill an estimated 1000 jobs in time…
Businessman draws attention to lease clause allowing rent cuts
A Taranaki business owner is warning leaseholders to read the fine print of their contracts after he was asked to pay his rent in full despite a clause in his lease allowing for a rent cut if he…
Back to work for fast food workers: 'Everyone was craving their Big Mac'
Staff at McDonald's in New Plymouth were braced for a rush this morning as NZers adjusted to Alert Level 3 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic - which for many meant a return to work.
Shelf support: Salon owner works night job to pay staff
A New Plymouth beauty salon owner is going the extra mile to save her business and her employees' jobs during the Covid-19 coronavirus epidemic.
Taranaki seabed mining opponents fight 'risky extractive practice'
Opponents of a bid to mine millions of tonnes of ironsands off the coast of Taranaki say they will continue to fight the proposal.
Seabed mining bid goes to Supreme Court
Trans Tasman Resources says it is going to take its bid to mine millions of tonnes of ironsands off the coast of Taranaki to New Zealand's highest court.
Call to force social media giants to pay for traditional news media content
New Zealand should follow Australia's decision to force Facebook and Google to pay for content generated by traditional news media companies, a media expert says.
Covid-19: Offshore oil and gas rigs working skeleton crews during lockdown
Workers on OMV's Maui A platform are sacrificing being with their families, staying offshore for a month at a time while they work to keep gas flowing during the Covid-19 crisis.