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Nelson

Image: The Spinoff

Race briefing: Can anyone shake Nick Smith’s hold on Nelson?

Nelson is rapidly losing its regional economic crown to the Tasman District. Is the city's longest-serving politician the man who can take it forward?
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By Joel MacManus | 9th October, 2025
Senior writer
Local election candidate websites are chaotic, but ultimately great sources of information. (Image: screenshots/The Spinoff)

A tour of New Zealand via some of the best local election websites

Everything you never wanted to know about your candidate's hobbies.
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By Shanti Mathias | 26th September, 2025
Contributing writer
Caitlin Wilson, Sam O’Brien and Luke Kuggeleijn are just some of the young names running for council this year.

‘How do I not get rage-baited?’ Meet the under-25s vying for council seats

Some three decades younger than the average elected member, can these fresh faces breathe new life into local politics?
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By Lyric Waiwiri-Smith | 18th August, 2025
Politics reporter
Simeon Brown and Chris Luxon faced questions about the understaffed Nelson hospital. Image: Joel MacManus

Echo Chamber: Nelson hospital scandal puts Luxon and Brown on the back foot

Healthcare dominated the debate in an unusually sober and serious question time.
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By Joel MacManus | 3rd April, 2025
Senior writer
A view of Nelson Haven in 1841, painted by Charles Heaphy.

Nelson’s original sin

The High Court's ruling in the Nelson Tenths case is a huge victory for Whakatū iwi – and also for my Pākehā ancestors, who were sold a horrible lie. 
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By Joel MacManus | 4th November, 2024
Senior writer
Kaumātua Rore Stafford, who is the lead plaintiff in the Nelson Tenths case. (Image design: Liam Rātana)

What is the Nelson Tenths case and why is it important?

In a landmark decision last week, the High Court found that the Crown violated its duty to the whānau and hapū of Te Tau Ihu o Te Waka-a-Māui.
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By Liam Rātana | 4th November, 2024
Ātea editor
Design: Archi Banal.

Can National reclaim Nelson after Labour ended its 24-year run?

Nick Smith was unseated by the red wave of 2020, and now a new National face is going all out to win back Nelson.
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By Tommy de Silva | 22nd September, 2023
Guest writer
John Phillips (Image: Archi Banal)

Meet the Nelson man behind TikTok’s viral ‘Bad Hair Day’ song

John Phillips has been writing beloved children’s songs for over 25 years, but he’s never had an audience quite like this.
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By Alex Casey | 19th February, 2023
Senior writer
Nelson is happy. Photo: Getty. Image: Tina Tiller

The race to lead the happiest place in Aotearoa

Happy city, scrappy council.
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By Toby Manhire | 30th September, 2022
Editor-at-large
Nick Smith: ‘Our council has lost its way – I would encourage electors to vote for change’. (Photo: Toby Manhire / Design: Archi Banal)

Nick Smith is engineering a political comeback

Is the longtime National MP the man to turn around a toxic culture at Nelson City Council?
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By Toby Manhire | 15th September, 2022
Editor-at-large
At the Nelson Weekly debate, left to right: Johny O’Donnell, Nick Smith, Rohan O’Neill-Stevens, Tim Skinner, Matt Lawrey and Kerry Neal. Photograph: Toby Manhire

The Queen, floods, toxic culture and dancefloor dicks – debate day in Nelson

The city can boast the oldest, one of the youngest, and the most ministerially experienced of NZ's would-be mayors.
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By Toby Manhire | 13th September, 2022
Editor-at-large
Nelson’s flooded Maitai River from the Trafalgar Street bridge on 18 August, 2022. (Photo: RNZ/Angus Dreaver)

Making room for rivers

As the residents of Nelson clean up, there are questions about how we can help now and what needs to be done to reduce and adapt to more flooding.
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By Anna Rawhiti-Connell | 22nd August, 2022
Senior writer
Local governments are workplaces, too (Image: Tina Tiller)

Toxic political workplaces are in local councils too

Local council members say their workplaces can be miserable, and reform is urgently needed.
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By Shanti Mathias | 19th August, 2022
Contributing writer
Rustic cuisine liliana food comic

Holy crêpe! A food comic about a hidden French gem in Nelson

'I'm partial to a crepe with just lemon, and devour this gleefully on my walk home.'
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By Liliana Mañetto Quick | 9th January, 2021
Guest writer
The BNZ branch in Stratford will close (Google Street View)

The Bulletin: New wave of bank closures hitting the regions

New wave of bank closures hitting the regions, Australia rocked by war crimes report, and ten years since Pike River marked.
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By Alex Braae | 20th November, 2020
Staff Writer
From left: Ben Harris, Sue Grey, moderator Mark Thompson, Simon Gutschlag, and Deon Claassens, at the Nelson minor party debate (Image: Alex Braae/Jihee Junn)

What the conspiracy theorist parties believe, and why it matters

What happened when four parties that believe Covid-19 is being used by the government for nefarious purposes tried to put their differences aside and share a stage.
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By Alex Braae | 22nd September, 2020
Staff Writer
Todd Muller and Jacinda Ardern (Getty Images)

The Bulletin: Fascinating poll sets tone for the election

New poll sets tone for election campaign, new testing criteria for Covid-19 outlined, and weirdness occurs around prisoner voting bill.
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By Alex Braae | 26th June, 2020
Staff Writer
They don’t call it the sunshine capital for nothing, mates. Image: Getty Images / Design: Tina Tiller

Top of the List: five of Nelson’s must-try attractions

Sunshine capital? Check. Rich artisan tradition? Check. Incredible sausages? That’s a big check. We’ve put together a list of all you need to know before you explore the truly gorgeous Nelson region this summer. 
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By Alice Neville | 15th October, 2019
Deputy editor
Firefighters putting out hotspots after the Nelson fires (Radio NZ: Dan Cook)

The Bulletin: Nelson fires show climate future

Nelson fires give glimpse of climate change future, mystery over Air NZ flight seems to be solved, and working class suburbs experience house price boom.
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By Alex Braae | 13th February, 2019
Staff Writer
Nelson fire, aerial view over Eves Valley, Pidgeon Valley and Redwood Valley. (Rebekah Parsons-King, Radio NZ)

The Bulletin: Fire rages in tinder-dry Tasman

Fire rages in tinder-dry Tasman region, contention over call for compulsory colonial history teaching, and another big jump for dairy prices.
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By Alex Braae | 7th February, 2019
Staff Writer

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