Latest News

New build sets standard in health care

Gemco Construction project manager Graeme Johnson takes huge satisfaction in the completion of Stage 1 of Kaweka Hospital, knowing that it’s a vision of an idea by Hawke’s Bay people, built by Hawke’s Bay people and ultimately improves the health of Hawke’s Bay people. “It’s going to change people’s lives and when we first heard that vision from Colin Hutchison,...

Kaweka Hospital sets new standard in care

Local business leaders and local specialists have partnered to open a new independent community-led Hospital in Hastings. Stage 1, an investment of over $40 million, with four operating theatres and 10 inpatient beds opened at the end of August and Stage 2, of over $60 million, when completed in late 2024 will create a state of the art health campus....

Our ‘golden goose’ creates challenges

It’s not as plain and simple as it seems – to protect the region’s fertile plains while also ensuring our growing population all have roofs over their heads and businesses, especially within the food processing sector, have storage, processing and packing facilities. Hawke’s Bay has enjoyed significant population growth, especially over the last few years, and with it has come...

Record Hastings Karamu Rotary fundraiser helps big final push for new hospice

A record $190,000 has been raised for a new hospice from the Hastings Karamu Rotary Cocktail Party held in July. Hastings Karamu Rotary Cocktail Party lead Angus Thomson announced the final funds raised at a function with Karamu Rotary members and event sponsors last night in Hastings. He said nearly doubling the previous record of $100,000, set in 2018 for...

Cruise ships return to boost economy

Hawke’s Bay’s economy is poised for a major shot in the arm this summer with as many as 80 cruise ships set to dock at the Port of Napier after a two-year-long COVID-19 enforced hiatus. The years preceding the COVID-19 outbreak saw the cruise industry become a mainstay of the Napier and wider Hawke’s Bay economy, with local tourism building...

Re-Leased plays big role in retaining tech talent in the Bay

It was not too long ago that school leavers were leaving Hawke’s Bay in their droves. Tempted by big city lights and the promise of high-flying careers, the region was, at the time, seemingly lacking the opportunity, and the excitement to keep the twenty-somethings around. In recent years, however, thanks to some long-term thinking and perhaps risky business moves by many key individuals and...

Partnership continues to grow the pool of tech talent in Hawke’s Bay

Less than six months into their partnership, Hawke’s Bay based property-tech company Re-Leased, and web development boot camp specialists, Dev Academy Aotearoa are successfully bolstering a previously shallow tech talent pool by creating work-ready developers in 15 weeks, and they have no intention to stop. In 2021, Re-Leased (an international business, developing innovative commercial property management software out of their...

Partnerships needed to tackle region’s housing shortage

Housing was once regarded as an issue for Central Government to deal with, but this is changing as it becomes a priority of the Hastings District Council, through its Hastings Place Based Housing Plan, and Hastings Medium and Long Term Housing Strategy. The plan, launched in 2019, has seen Council partner with central government, iwi and local providers and stakeholders...

No let-up in growth for basketball

Basketball in Hawke’s Bay is at an all- time high in regards to participation. In 2021, more than 4,000 registered players regularly played, and that number swelled with youngsters playing ‘ball’ at their local outdoor court thanks to a partnership between councils and regional sport organisation Basketball Hawke’s Bay. Basketball Hawke’s Bay’s general manager Nick Hogan says the growth in...

Indoor court space trebles with new arena

Just 10 kilometres away from the Mitre 10 Park is the home of indoor court sport, the Pettigrew.Green Arena (PGA), which was built in 2002. Operated by the arena’s trust, participation has well outgrown court space availability, leaving children as young as seven and eight years old playing volleyball and basketball at a time when they’re usually heading to bed. Trust chairman...