Stories by Laura Smith

Rotorua's mayor is worried scrapping minimum apartment size rules would allow motel rooms to be turned into housing.

Graffiti more than tripled in Rotorua in the year to 30 June - costing ratepayers more than $100,000.

New Zealand's longest-serving councillor has shared his sadness after the death of his long-time friend, Kiingi Tuheitia, who died on Friday morning.

About 100 people attended a hīkoi to wāhi tapu (sacred) Lake Rotokākahi on Monday in a stand against the route of a sewerage pipeline.

National's deputy leader is calling for people to join her in "belittling the trolls" in an online toxic environment.

A protest at the edge of a sacred Rotorua lake is back - now under the eye of $3000 council cameras.

Rotorua's council is looking to improve its pensioner housing services - by removing itself as landlord.

Kiri Danielle has cleaned up rubbish dumped on the mountain over the past 12 years.

A council legal bid for an injunction to get protesters to stay at least a metre from controversial sewerage works near Rotorua's sacred Lake Rotokākahi has failed - for now.

Rotorua is considering adding public forums to meetings for what may be the first time.

One mayor is warning of "disastrous consequences" if police and councils lose access to the country's network of more than 1000 highway CCTV cameras.

A group of Rotorua children have used science to prove whether the basis of the legendary love story of Hinemoa and Tūtānekai is true.

The waters of Lake Rotorua's lit up in celebration of Matariki with the help of 160 drones.

A guardian of a lake near Rotorua alleges a crewman working on a nearby sewerage scheme threatened to kill him.

The derby star shares her personal story to explain why her hometown needs a new skatepark.

"It is an absolute disgrace we have infrastructure that has failed," one local says.

"Online abuse and threats" to attendees - "including children" - of a drag queen storytime event were among the reasons it was canned, a council review says.

After confusion over how the policy would be applied, the council has acknowledged it could have explained it more clearly.

Construction to reopen Rotorua's iconic museum will begin next month as the council secures the final funding needed and brings down the total cost.

Rotorua is wrestling with a costly dilemma: how to keep the pipes flowing after years of what one councillor describes as "chronic underspending".

Rotorua councillor upset at Housing Ministry plans to keep contracting hotels for emergency housing.

It's similar to an incident four years ago that resulted in 300 tonnes of weed being removed at a cost of $35,000.

Beggars "physically accosted" 10 Aussie tourists at a cafe last week, claims a Rotorua councillor arguing it is time to "seriously consider" a begging ban.

The 75 workers from Rotorua council-controlled organisation InfraCore will go on strike for eight days from Friday.

The decision follows 'hostile dialogue' and 'rapid spread of misinformation'.