News stories

Ka maumahara tonu tātou ki a rātou. We will remember them.

There will be a strong turn out of services honouring Anzac Day across the Far North on Saturday 25 April.

Applications are now open for the 2026 round of the Kai Ora Fund, a long-running initiative supporting projects that strengthen food security and community resilience across Te Tai Tokerau.

Pages keep turning in the story of Te Āta Haere – the project to build the Kaikohe Library and Civic Hub – with the fitting of the roof and exterior cladding now underway.

Implementation of the council’s new Development Contributions Policy – Utu Whakawhanake – will be delayed by one month, councillors agreed during a 1 April council meeting.

The future of Savour Northland, the annual food and wine festival, was backed by two Far North community boards at their meetings in March. Board members recognised the festival’s importance in supporting the regional economy, attracting visitors, and creating opportunities for communities to come together.

Far North District Council will proceed with the appointment of 10 external hapū and iwi members to its Te Kuaka Committee for Māori Strategic Relationships, following a robust discussion during today’s Extraordinary Council Meeting.

Tēnā koutou e te whānau,

Thank you for your patience regarding my response to an interview undertaken by Councillor Davina Smolders on the Duncan Garner Editor in Chief podcast on 8 April 2026.

**UPDATE as of 5pm Tuesday 14 April**

Residents using the council’s Ōmanaia–Rāwene water supply have done a great job of conserving water, with levels at the Rāwene reservoir now back to 77%.

Far North District Council teams are working to ensure the safety of an area leading to Paihia Beach, where recent storms have eroded the land around an access ramp.