Police at an accident scene.

Pair injured in two-vehicle crash in Hastings

Emergency services were called to the crash on Waimarama Rd at around 3.45pm.

4:45pm

Joseph Auga Matamata aka Viliamu Samu in court.

Hawke's Bay enslaver, human trafficker Joseph Matamata granted parole

Joseph Matamata, who also goes by Viliamu Samu, was sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment for using 13 people as slaves and 10 charges of human trafficking.

Saturday 8:12am

Sixty-year-old vessel to become a refuge and breeding ground for fish, crays and other marine life.

'Down she goes': Boat scuttled off Napier to become artificial reef

Over 800 hours of work and more than $200,000 went into stripping the 23m steel hulled Twofold Bay of contaminants.

Fri, Jun 19

Wool at auction.

Bounce of confidence in the wool sector as prices boom

Wool auction manager says the demand for East Coast wool is "defying gravity" due to global shortages combined with increased demand.

Wed, Jun 17

Central Hawke’s Bay residents are being urged to report boy racers to the police.

Concerns as boy racers pour diesel over Hawke's Bay roads

"It’s extremely concerning, and we fear that someone is going to be seriously hurt or killed."

Tue, Jun 16

Officers first spotted the vehicle on Clive St in shortly before 6.15pm on Sunday.

Flames shoot from car as driver tries to evade Hawke's Bay police

A driver led police on a chase through Hastings and Havelock North with his car on fire before ramming two patrol cars in a last-ditch escape attempt.

Mon, Jun 8

Police want information on this ute following an assault in a Havelock North's Guthrie Park.

Child, 12, assaulted by stranger at BMX park - police hunt for ute

The assault happened on Friday at Guthrie Park in Havelock North.

Sun, Jun 7

File image: Vineyard in sun.

Former vineyard director charged by Serious Fraud Office

Richard Foddy is alleged to have artificially inflated the value of Sacred Hill Vineyards' wine inventory in a bid to obtain funding.

Tue, Jun 2

May 2026
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell.

New tech to streamline emergency management 'will save lives'

Plans for the upgraded technology was unveiled by Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell ahead of the Budget.

Thu, May 28

Authorities oppose the liquor licence for the new Woolworths development in Hawke’s Bay.

Alcohol sales approved for Woolworths at new Flaxmere supermarket

Police said the application did not take into account that Flaxmere was "a high deprivation community vulnerable to alcohol related harm".

Wed, May 27

Bill Livingstone said he was blown away when he found out how much the proposed rate increases were for commercial and industrial properties in Hastings.

Hastings businesses 'blown away' by rates surge

A commercial property company owner says he fears struggling businesses will either abandon the city or collapse.

Mon, May 25

A quad bike on a farm (file image).

One dead after Hawke's Bay quad bike crash

Police were alerted to the crash on Ohurakura Rd at 10.40am.

Sat, May 23

Dirty water pours from Hamish McLagan’s taps on Monday in Greenmeadows.

City's tap water runs brown days after making final for 'best water'

Greenmeadows resident Hamish McLagan says the issue with dirty water "has been going on for years".

Fri, May 22

Drumpeel Farms co-owner Hugh Ritchie.

Hawke’s Bay growers explore options to save McCain processing plant

McCain has announced closing the Hastings operation but local farmers believe something can be salvaged.

Thu, May 21

Napier Mayor Richard McGrath says an off-the-cuff comment at the council Open House event to some Youth Council members about being on their phones was intended as light-hearted banter, not as serious criticism.

Napier mayor denies calling youth council a 'bunch of idiots'

An email from the Youth Council alleged the mayor called them “a waste of ratepayers’ money” and a “bunch of idiots who can’t use pen and paper”.

Wed, May 20

The annual Water Industry Operations Group of New Zealand conference and awards has named a winner for 2026.

Where to find the country's best-tasting tap water

Lower North Island district scoops the grand final of a competition to find New Zealand’s best tap water.

Fri, May 15

Work on a new mortuary waste site is underway, with Wairoa aiming to be the first council in New Zealand to achieve the separation of mortuary waste at source. A blessing has been held on site.

Small town's 'pioneering' plan for mortuary waste

Almost everywhere in New Zealand, mortuary waste generated during embalming process is discharged into the public wastewater network.

Tue, May 12

New Zealand Police and Health New Zealand are opposing an application for a liquor licence at the Woolworths Flaxmere supermarket.

'High deprivation': Flaxmere supermarket alcohol sales opposed

New Zealand Police and Health New Zealand are against approving an application for a liquor licence at the Woolworths Flaxmere supermarket.

Tue, May 12

Police (file image)

Arrests in Hawke's Bay after spike in gang-related incidents

Thirteen people were arrested in Mahia and Wairoa over the past week.

Mon, May 11

Hawke’s Bay gang crackdown drug tests those on bail, 9 arrests

Hawke’s Bay gang crackdown drug tests those on bail, 9 arrests

A hub was established to engage with affected whānau after the operation, which police said focused on "prevention and enforcement".

Tue, May 5

April 2026
Ambulance (file image).

Two injured, one critically, after stabbing in Hastings

Police said it received reports of a stabbing on Kiwi St in Camberly around 3pm Thursday.

Thu, Apr 30

Spider webs cover a lawn in the Karapiro area of Waikato.

Why spider webs have blanketed towns across the North Island

An arachnologist says the gossamer threads coating homes and reserves across the region are harmless — and a sign the season is changing.

Tue, Apr 28

The RTV which was stolen in Dannevirke.

Public help 'key' to Dannevirke RTV burglary arrest

The case of a stolen $30,000 rough terrain vehicle was cracked after the man allegedly responsible tried to purchase a key for its ignition the very next day.

Sat, Apr 25

A sheep affected by major flystrike.

Farmer's neglect led to more than 200 sheep being euthanised

A Hawke's Bay farmer has been sentenced to home detention after hundreds of his sheep were starved or had severe flystrike and parasite problems.

Thu, Apr 23

Napier Mayor Richard McGrath said the council fully supported its staff, who did not deserve the abuse directed at them by a growing number of members of the public.

Napier council abuse reports triple – mayor warns behaviour ‘not on’

Abuse incident reports tripled to 152 in the three months to November 1, 2025, and January 31, 2026.

Wed, Apr 22