A group that distributed flyers in Tauranga and detailed views on the foreshore and seabed legislation is defending its actions after they were criticised by Waiariki MP Te Ururoa Flavell. Coastal Coalition is an umbrella group set up to keep the foreshore and seabed in crown ownership. The group's spokesperson, Dr Hugh Barr is alarmed at the claims made by Te Ururoa. "We have been very careful to ensure the points raised in our flyer are factual. The MP's claims do not hold More...

Attorney-general and Minister of Treaty Negotiations, Chris Finlayson, spoke in Tauranga on Friday morning and addressed concerns from residents about the Treaty of Waitangi and the controversial foreshore and seabed legislation. About 30 people attended the meeting, hosted by Tauranga MP Simon Bridges, at Cornerstone Bethlehem Gastro Bar in the Bethlehem Shopping Centre. Minister of Treaty Negotiations Chris Finlayson speaks to a group of Western Bay of Plenty residents at the Cornerstone More...

Waiariki PM Te Ururoa Flavell says Tauranga residents who received a flyer in their mailbox opposing Maori gaining interests in the foreshore and seabed should take what it says with a "grain of salt". "It is attitudes and messages like those in this flyer which got this nation in trouble in the first place - trouble that resulted in a huge injustice where Maori lost the right to go to court to argue their case," says Te Ururoa. Te Ururoa Flavell is unhappy about a flyer More...

Labour’s Early Childhood Education spokesperson, Sue Moroney, will be in Tauranga on Friday to meet with a variety of preschool education providers. “I’m keen to find out what impact the government’s $295 million cuts to services with 80 to 100 per cent qualified teachers have had in the Bay of Plenty,” says Sue. Sue Moroney. Tracy Giacon is the manager at Matua Plunket Kindergarten, where the meeting with Sue will be held at 7.30pm on Friday.  More...

Rumours that former Tauranga MP Winston Peters and controversial Whanganui Mayor Michael Laws are forging an alliance to re-launch New Zealand First are rubbished by the party's Tauranga electorate chairman Roy Townhill. Winston and Michael are not confirming or denying the rumour, speculated to be officially announced at New Zealand First's annual conference later this year.   Roy has contacted various party insiders about the conjecture and is dismissing it as gossip. "It's a More...

Western Bay of Plenty District Mayor Ross Paterson is putting all of his effort into the mayoral race and is not standing for his long-held Kaimai ward. Ross came to office as mayor about 16 months ago when a by-election was held following the November 2008 death of then mayor, Graeme Weld. Western Bay of Plenty District Mayor Ross Paterson is standing for office again this year. This by-election success came off the back of nearly eight years as deputy mayor for the region and a total of More...

Third term Tauranga City Councillor Murray Guy has put his hat in the ring for a fourth term, announcing he's standing for the Tauranga mayoralty, and also as an at-large councillor. At-large councillor on the current council, Mike Baker, is standing this election as ward councillor for the Otumoetai/Pyes Pa ward. Murray Guy is trying for Mayor. Papamoa resident, real estate agent and Bay Trust trustee Steve Morris is standing as a ward councillor for the Mount Maunganui/Papamoa More...

The 2010 local government election is underway officially with nominations now open. Nominations are open from Friday, July 23 until August 20. The election is for councillors and representatives for local government and for the Western Bay of Plenty that is: Tauranga City Council, Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Environment Bay of Plenty and the Bay of Plenty District Health Board. The election is by postal ballot. Mailing of these ballots from the electoral office is scheduled More...

A government presentation in Tauranga about the Emissions Trading Scheme failed to convince the region's Federated Farmers president John Scrimgeour. The presentation held at the Historic Village by Climate Change Minister Nick Smith on Monday attracted over 120 people. John Scrimgeour and his wife Margaret. John says he was disappointed by the presentation and is still questioning why the scheme is needed. "I think it should have been put on hold when Australia put theirs on hold More...

Bay of Plenty Labour MPs are responding to the government's national park mining policy u-turn with an open-door policy. Rotorua based Labour MP Steve Chadwick is hosting a public meeting in Tauranga where participants get to put forward views and suggestions to help shape the party's environment policy. Rotorua based Labour MP Steve Chadwick. The government experienced an intense public backlash when it was proposed that parts of New Zealand's conservation estate be opened up to mining. More...