Matt CowleyTauranga City Councillor No council can behave like a profitable business; let me tell you why. Businesses focus on a target market of likeminded customers. Councils are mandated to look after the best interest of the entire community... Read More

Catherine StewartTauranga City Councillor During the Annual Plan submission process some concerns were raised by residents at the Mount regarding the use of toxic chemical sprays to kill off noxious weeds in the sand dunes, prior to replanting... Read More

Jane NeesBOP Regional Councillorwww.janenees.co.nz If you have a garden you'll be very familiar with weeds and the way they can take over if not managed. However, they don't just affect our gardens - they also impact our native bush. At this time... Read More

Sideline SidSports correspondant & historian www.sunlive.co.nz Last weekend was a rollercoaster of emotions for Sideline Sid - with the mighty All Blacks smashing the Wallabies and the not-so-mighty Steamers tasting defeat in their first home game... Read More

Weather Eyewith John Maunder The Maunder Minimum period is named after the solar astronomer Edward Walter Maunder (1851-1928), who while working at The Royal Observatory at Greenwich discovered the dearth of sunspots during the 1650-1700 period. During... Read More

Dazz SwitallaFlavour SecretsNo.1 The Strand Chef www.no1thestrand.co.nz I can still remember my very first taste of yoghurt in about 1972 at the industry's fair in Christchurch. That first taste had me hooked - the yoghurt flavour was like something... Read More

Are you ready?with Leigh Elder The Eat For Keeps team has spent the last two years developing a free, dynamic new concept called The Big NZ Challenge. This has a multi-platformed, dedicated website, with a rewards programme, social media, ability... Read More

Brian RogersRogers Rabbits www.sunlive.co.nz The wrecking ball of NZ politics continues to swing, with no real effect other than turning off most Kiwis. If ever there was a chance to convince more New Zealanders to take an interest in politics... Read More

Ian McLeanSpokesperson for the Green Party When 50 participants at Welcome Bay Community Centre's election meeting on August 17 were offered ultimate power to fix the world, not one of them asked for economic growth. Instead, they wanted to improve... Read More

Matt CowleyTauranga City Councillor Tauranga City councillors were confronted with mixed feelings of relief and jubilation this week as the New Zealand Transport Agency decided to take on all but $1 million of the $62.5 million debt left on Route... Read More

Clare WilsonLocal Labour Imagine working all your life, earning money and bringing up a family, possibly fighting in a war, or receiving minimum wage all your life, but managing your mortgage and bills. Alternatively, we all know people who've... Read More

Catherine StewartTauranga City Councillor This week Tauranga City Council received good news from the New Zealand Transport Agency. The council's $63 million debt associated with Route K will be transferred to the NZTA on June 30, 2015. This is... Read More