Stories by Robin Martin
News
Roadworks unearth possible pa site
A pa sacked by General Trevor Chute during the land wars in the 1860s may have been rediscovered under roadworks in South Taranaki.
Deported Kiwi hopes to return to Syria
The New Zealander deported from Australia after travelling to Syria on a peace tour is already planning to return to the Middle East.
Aus deports Kiwi on return from Syria
A New Zealander is being deported from Australia one day after returning from a peace mission to Syria. Audio
Mark Parihaka Day not Guy Fawkes, say Maori Party
The Maori Party has renewed its call for 5 November to be recognised as Parihaka Day to commemorate the sacking of the pacifist settlement in Taranaki. Audio
Historic Motunui panels go on display in New Plymouth
Precious carved pataka panels which were illegally smuggled out of the country in the 1970s have gone on public display in New Plymouth today.
Epic waka journey 'just the begining'
A Wellington businessman hopes that the arrival of a waka full of cocoa beans from Bouganville will kickstart a sail-powered shipping network
Questions asked over dairy pollution documents
A dairy lobby group appears to have pressured the Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Council into removing potentially embarrassing information.
Council helps farmers dodge nitrogen limits
Farmers in Manawatu-Whanganui are getting around tough new rules to cut down on dirty dairying.
Super-drone sprayer comes with risks
The first unmanned helicopter certified to spray chemicals in New Zealand could save farmers thousands of dollars - if certain conditions are met.
Watchdogs question water quality rules
Environmental watchdogs in Taranaki say proposed freshwater quality rules for the province could put people's health at risk.
Taranaki history debated in court
A hapu leader and a corporate lawyer locked horns over the merits of oral versus written history in the Environment Court in New Plymouth today. Audio
Tapping into Musik's emotional power
A one-of-its-kind exhibition in New Plymouth is attempting to unravel the mysterious link between music and emotions. Audio
Trust wants Maori land 'squatters' evicted
A Taranaki trust has begun legal action to have a group, including a long-standing Black Power member, removed from Maori land in Waitara.
Whanganui to establish flight school
Whanganui is to establish a commercial pilot training academy with the aim of attracting national and international students to the district.
Waitara leaseholders 'running out of time'
The owner of a leasehold property on land confiscated from Te Atiawa following the Taranaki Land Wars is worried he won't live to see it made freehold.
Apology for assault on iwi's rights
The Minister of Treaty Negotiations has apologised for what he describes as the Crown's assault on the human rights of the Taranaki iwi in the 1800s.
Cost of June floods still rising
The economic impact of the June floods in the Whanganui-Taranaki area has reached $275 million.
Health not just about DHBs says Sir Mason
Māori health advocate Sir Mason Durie has challenged Taranki community leaders to resist the proliferation of alcohol and fast food outlets in the region.
Tangata whenua fear for whitebait survival
Not everyone's celebrating the start of the whitebait season this weekend, with growing anger among some Māori over what they say is the commercialisation of the delicacy.
Dairy downturn hits local retailers
Retailers in Taranaki say the downturn in the dairy market is starting to hit turnover, with sales declining by between 10 and 20 percent. Audio
Get used to stormy weather - insurers
Weather-related events have cost insurers close to $100 million so far this year, and New Zealanders are being told to get used to it.
Defusing the demographic time bomb
Treaty settlements in Taranaki have been described as a potential game changer in the battle to defuse a demographic time bomb ticking in the province.
Hopes remain high for new marae
A Te Ātiawa hapū remains confident that a new $6 million marae will be built in New Plymouth, despite the challenges faced by the sub-tribe.
Buttermilk stink: Fonterra sorry for 'discomfort, pain and misery'
Fonterra has apologised for the "discomfort, pain and misery" it caused the people of Eltham affected by the rotting buttermilk stink in the town.
Embracing Te Reo pays dividends for firm
Embracing te reo and tikanga Māori is paying dividends for the Taranaki arm of an international accountancy firm.