Wairoa Mayor: Road upgrades between Napier and Wairoa will boost safety and accessibility
The road between Napier and Wairoa is on the mend.
The small east coast township of Wairoa is still waiting for an apology from the Hawke's Bay Regional Council (HBRC) following the devastating floods which hit the town in June and damaged hundreds of houses.
While the damage was mainly in the town, the floods also affected services to the large farming hinterland.
The people of Wairoa have blamed inaction by HBRC for the disaster and feelings against the regional council are still running high in the township.
Wairoa Mayor Craig Little told Rural News that people in the town still don't feel the council is listening to them.
He says HBRC haven't admitted they have done anything wrong and therein lies the problem.
"When you have done something wrong you have to acknowledge that and then talk to the people you have really hurt and who are suffering - and they haven't done that yet.
"So, they must start looking at themselves and start dealing fairly and honestly with the people in our community and they haven't done that," he says.
Little's comments follow the release of an independent report by former Police Commissioner Mike Bush about what happened during the floods.
He says the town was already grieving the damage wrought by Cyclone Gabrielle and adds that the somewhat sinister river mouth looms over the town.
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Minister for Universities, Shane Reti, has opened the final new build in a ten plus year project to upgrade the veterinary facilities at Massey University.
As New Zealand experiences more frequent and severe flooding events, the Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman Scheme (IFSO Scheme) is urging consumers to be honest and accurate when making insurance claims for flood damage.
A recently held arable field day in the Manawatu brought with it a timely reminder to be on the lookout for velvetleaf incursions.
In a significant shift for employers, wage theft is no longer only a civil matter but now also a criminal one.
In partnership with Growing Future Farmers (GFF), Fonterra says it is increasing support for young people entering the dairy industry with a new two-year programme.

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