Wairoa Mayor: Road upgrades between Napier and Wairoa will boost safety and accessibility
The road between Napier and Wairoa is on the mend.
Wairoa Mayor Craig Little says the succession of Recovery Ministers who have resigned or left has not made his life easy.
In the middle of a crisis, gone are Meka Whaitiri, Stuart Nash and Kiri Allen. The latter Little describes as a wonderful lady who was most helpful. He says not having someone to ring for help from has made life harder for him.
"We have had good relations with Ministers but sometimes I feel the voice of Hawke's Bay gets drowned out," he says.
On the positive side, Little says Kieran McAnulty in his roles as Minister of Local Government, Emergency Management and Rural Communities has been good. He describes him as being very approachable but adds that he's a 'busy boy'.
Little says regardless of who wins the election, it will take time for any new Minister to come to grips with the issues the district is facing. He'd like the Wairoa District Council to have the authority to deal with flood protection because he believes they can get it done quickly and cost effectively.
Reuters reports that giant food company Wilmar Group has announced it had handed over 11.8 trillion rupiah (US$725 million) to Indonesia's Attorney General's Office as a "security deposit" in relation to a case in court about alleged misconduct in obtaining palm oil export permits.
DairyNZ is celebrating 60 years of the Economic Survey, reflecting on the evolution of New Zealand's dairy sector over time.
As electricity prices soar, farmers appear to be looking for alternative energy sources.
There is an appeal to New Zealanders to buy local citrus fruit.
Avocado growers are reporting a successful season, but some are struggling to keep their operations afloat following years of bad weather.
It's time to start talking up science again, especially as a career for young people. That's one of the key messages from the Prime Minister's new chief science advisor, Dr John Roche.
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