Do you know how many Kāinga Ora homes were vacant late last year?
While 1698 people waited for public housing in Hamilton, there were 147 empty Kāinga Ora homes in the city.
The figures from late 2023 “astounded” Hamilton West National MP Tama Potaka - who labelled the city “the epicentre of emergency housing” - and Mayor Paula Southgate is calling for urgent government action.
But Kāinga Ora says the number of vacant homes has since dropped to 34, and there’s a focus on replacing older houses on big sections with multiple homes.
Poll: Is the increase in disability parking fines fair?
In October, the fine for parking in a designated mobility car park without a permit has jumped from $150 to $750—a 400% increase!
The goal is to keep these spaces open for those who truly need them. Do you think this big increase in the fine is fair? Share your thoughts below.
-
90.9% Yes, it's fair
-
8.2% No, it's unreasonable
-
0.9% Other - I'll share below
Only Geniuses Can Solve This Riddle— Are You One?
What is the longest single-syllable word in the English language?
Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.
Want to stop seeing riddles in your newsfeed?
Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.
New series: Waikato Times joins small town council meetings to see democracy in action
Waitomo mayor John Roberston isn’t shy about his council’s savings and cost cutting track record, and if the latest Waitomo District Council meeting was anything to go by, he’s got plenty to crow about.
From cutting back on the small things, like a council building refresh, to saving millions on debt, Waitomo’s council would be one of only a handful to have reduced debt over the past few years.