In election news the local Whaingaroa Ward is currently running 4th in the Waikato District voters return race at 15.5%. We had been running third behind the Waerenga Whitikahu Ward(currently 16.2) and the posh people from Tamahere on 16.6% but the latest stats show that Huntly has popped into third place at 15.6% Given our community’s reputation for doing things at the last minute we’re expecting a boost close to the final voting day on 11th October to get us back into the top two where we’ve been for the last two elections.
The Waikato District Average is 13.8% and while this isn’t fantastic it’s still better than Hamilton the home of kiwi apathy who are currently on 10.3% and looking a good bet to have the worst returns from a city council for the second election in a row.
A government-commissioned review has cast serious doubt on Trans-Tasman Resources’ bid to mine vanadium from 24,300 hectares of seabed off the Taranaki coast, warning the application relies on unproven methods, scrambled citations and decades-old data. The Environmental Protection Authority report said the fast-track proposal is too unclear for consents to be responsibly granted, including uncertainty around a key chemical process at the centre of the operation.
The fast-track expert panel has now invited between 50 and 60 councils, iwi, organisations and companies (incl. KASM) to comment and In an unprecedented step, Mt Taranaki has also been invited to have its say through Tōpuni Kōkōrangi, the body charged with protecting the maunga’s legal personhood.
Unsurprisingly Resources Minister Shane Jones has called the move a mockery and is also criticising the panel’s appointment of Forest & Bird’s former in-house lawyer as its legal counsel.
Jones has previously come under fire for publicly criticising other choices made by the panel and wanting to meet with the panel conveners in a move described as ‘bullying’ by Te Pati Maori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa Packer.
Taranaki Maunga was granted legal personhood in 2016, with legislation passed in January 2025 and saw the Crown apologise for the confiscation of half a million hectares of land. Less than a year later, the mountain is at the centre of a courtroom battle over the future of seabed mining.
Raglan maps out future of tourism
Raglan’s visitor economy was in the spotlight at a Chamber of Commerce event hosted by the Whāingaroa Raglan Destination Management Organisation (WRDMO).
In partnership with Takitini and Hamilton Waikato Tourism, the Energising Raglan’s Visitor Economy workshop launched the new Go Raglan brand and explored how tourism could boost jobs, infrastructure and local business capability.
WRDMO, with support from Raglan Naturally, has secured funding to develop a five-year, community-led tourism and events plan. Project lead Jacqueline Anderson says the plan will be shaped through public workshops over the next 12 months.
Locals want collaboration with iwi, eco-leadership, group accommodation and off-season events like food festivals and kapa haka. But concerns remain over summer overcrowding, freedom camping, infrastructure strains and protecting Raglan’s small-town character.
Did you know?
- The 2025 Karioi Classic was a hit with 561 riders, loads of community support, and 57% of participants joining in for the very first time – with 93% keen to do it all again. Thanks to the bike buzz, $1k was donated to Raglan Mountain Biking Club.
- The biggest chunk of retail spend in Raglan over the last 12 months went on groceries and fuel (57.6%), with cafes, restaurants, bars and takeaways serving up a tasty second at 20.6%.
- For every $100 spent in Raglan, $59 comes from locals, $31 from visiting Kiwis (bach owners, day trippers and overnighters) and just $10 from international visitors