Articles by Leighton Smith
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National
'They have taken us for fools': Councillor hits out over homeless motels
Thursday, 25 April 2024, 9:42AMA Rotorua Lakes councillor says Government agencies have “taken us for fools” over the city’s controversial emergency housing...
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Audio
Elliott Smith: Sabbaticals are a fact of life now in New Zealand Rugby
Tuesday, 16 April 2024, 4:07PMSo Jordie Barrett is staying, but also going. Staying till 2028 but leaving next year for a sabbatical. This sabbatical is...
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Business
Market just too small: Menulog quits New Zealand
Tuesday, 16 April 2024, 3:23PMOnline food delivery platform Menulog will discontinue its New Zealand operations in May. Parent company Just Eat Takeaway...
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Business
Snap, crackle, stop: Sanitarium axing jobs as it discontinues iconic cereals
Wednesday, 27 March 2024, 4:01PMBreakfast food maker Sanitarium is proposing axing 49 jobs as it ceases production of a number of its cereals. Sanitarium...
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Business
Peter Gordon's Homeland restaurant to close its doors
Monday, 25 March 2024, 8:57PMAuckland CBD waterfront restaurant Homeland will close its doors after falling victim to a major new development in the area. Celebrated...
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Business
Former CBL boss Peter Harris admits continuous disclosure breaches, misleading conduct
Monday, 25 March 2024, 12:31PMFormer CBL managing director Peter Harris has admitted to continuous disclosure breaches and misleading conduct in a long-running...
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National
'It's a sad day for Rotorua': Iconic tourism business in liquidation
Wednesday, 20 March 2024, 10:25AMIconic Rotorua tourism paddle boat business Lakeland Queen has gone into liquidation. It comes after the company ceased...
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National
'Couldn't move': Allergic woman trapped in home as 'millions' of wasps swarm
Tuesday, 12 March 2024, 12:07PMA Rotorua woman says she is forced to shut herself inside her home as “millions” of wasps from a neighbouring property swarm...
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National
Maggots, rats, poo on the walls: Tenants paid up to $600pw at 'disgusting' lodge
Saturday, 9 March 2024, 9:20AMMaggots on the floor. Human excrement on bathroom walls and floors. Rodents so common one resident gave them names. These...
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National
Tower insurance overcharges 65,000 Kiwis more than $9.5m
Thursday, 7 March 2024, 3:34PMNew Zealand’s financial watchdog has filed civil proceedings against insurer Tower over alleged fair dealing breaches resulting...
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Business
Nearly half of Kiwis worry about money, young feel 'overwhelmed'
Wednesday, 28 February 2024, 7:11AMAlmost half of New Zealanders say they often or always worry about money amid ongoing cost-of-living pressures, according...
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Business
'Deeply saddened': 90-year-old retailer Godfreys enters voluntary administration
Tuesday, 30 January 2024, 3:29PMVacuum and cleaning retailer Godfreys Group has appointed voluntary administrators amid a struggle with profitability and...
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National
Boatie fears he may lose foot after boat ramp injury, flesh-eating bacteria
Tuesday, 30 January 2024, 7:54AMWarning: Graphic images A boatie fears he could lose his foot to infection after stepping on corroded metal at a council-maintained...
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Business
Accounting firm launches nine-day fortnight for NZ staff
Tuesday, 16 January 2024, 1:28PMAccounting firm Grant Thornton is trialling a nine-day fortnight for staff in New Zealand. The trial, which launched on...
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News
Rotorua Lakeland Queen owner told to build new jetty then gift to iwi and lease back
Monday, 18 December 2023, 9:02AMFor 36 years, the Lakeland Queen provided tourists and locals with opportunities to cruise and dine on Lake Rotorua. But...
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National
Crumbling teeth or a home? The choice a retired couple say they are weighing up
Saturday, 2 December 2023, 10:38AMFix crumbling teeth or keep their home? A retired couple say they are weighing up their choices in the face of a potential...
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Business
19,000 payments overdue: Mortgage arrears spike as interest rate pain drags on
Friday, 1 December 2023, 7:03AMThe number of Kiwis behind on their mortgages spiked back up again in October, according to Centrix. Centrix’s latest Credit...
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Business
Supie collapse: How much are staff owed, and why did the grocer collapse?
Thursday, 16 November 2023, 10:13PMThe first liquidators’ report on Supie has shed some light on the financial trouble the failed online delivery grocer was...
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National
Speed limit U-turn: Rotorua moves to 'tailored' approach over blanket rules
Friday, 3 November 2023, 7:31AMRotorua’s council has taken a U-turn from a “blanket” approach to reducing speed limits and will instead work with schools...
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Politics
'Stop our children being a political rugby ball': Teacher's message to candidates
Thursday, 28 September 2023, 2:43PMA Tauranga teacher is pleading for children to stop being used as a “political rugby ball”. Primary school teacher Vanessa...
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National
'Carrot and stick': How town halved early deaths from air pollution
Thursday, 7 September 2023, 2:50PMThe estimated number of Rotorua adults dying early from the impacts of poor air quality has halved in 13 years — contributing...
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National
Pensioner's two-year wait for new windows 'so we can have some warmth'
Monday, 4 September 2023, 3:27PMA Rotorua pensioner has waited more than two years for her landlord — Rotorua Lakes Council — to replace her deteriorating...
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Crime
Handcuffed woman who bit arresting police officer cops a punch to the head
Wednesday, 30 August 2023, 2:09PMA police officer used excessive force when he punched a handcuffed woman in the head, leaving her with a cut above her eye,...
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National
Woman's lower legs amputated after immediate action not taken
Monday, 28 August 2023, 2:18PMAn elderly woman’s lower legs had to be amputated after her doctor failed to take immediate action when a complication was...