Lizard News - Past Editions


Lizard News - Our Community

Lizard News has a print run of 11,500 including mailbox deliveries from the Wairoa River at Bethlehem to Waihī Beach, through the rural & urban areas of the west of the Western Bay of Plenty District; Te Puna, Whakamārama, Matakana Is, Ōmokoroa, Pahoia, Apata, Aongatete, Katikati, Tahāwai, Bowentown and Athenree.


1 week ago

Lizard News
There is one more week to register for the Abbeyfield WBoP Golf Fundraising Tournament on Friday 31st March.Be quick. There are limited spaces left for the Katikati event.Unfortunately, there was an email typo in the original poster provided for our March printed edition, but do try again. ... See MoreSee Less
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2 weeks ago

Lizard News
Police are executing a pre-planned warrant in Ōmokoroa to locate a person of interest.Eyewitnesses tell Lizard News there is a substantial Police presence including seven or eight marked vehicles, as well as an unmarked car with two officers blocking Coppelia Avenue.Photo: Supplied. ... See MoreSee Less
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2 weeks ago

Lizard News
The construction of two new schools in Ōmokoroa is expected to begin in early 2024.In today’s announcement, the Minister of Education, Tauranga-based list MP Hon Jan Tinetti, says the new primary school and secondary school will be in the southwest of the township.The Ministry has already acquired parcels of land on the corner of Ōmokoroa Road and Prole Road.“The recent consultation with Iwi, other schools, and the local community shows there is strong support for new schooling to manage the demands of a growing population.“Ōmokoroa Primary School will initially provide 350 places for Year 1–6 students, with capacity to expand the roll to 550 student places.“Ōmokoroa Secondary School will initially provide 800 places for Year 7–13 students, with capacity to expand the roll to 1200 student places,” says Minister Tinetti.The Ministry of Education will call for nominations for an Establishment Board, which is expected to be completed in the first half of 2023.When appointed, the Board will work with the community to develop the vision and values for the schools and determine how they will operate. The Board will also work with the community and Ngāti Ranginui to establish a new name for the school.The Ministry of Education has worked in partnership with Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi and the Western Bay of Plenty District Council to plan the new school. In particular, the Ministry has been working with Pirirākau, one of the hapū of Ngāti Ranginui, who are the mana whenua for this rohe.Budget 2022 allocated funds for the planning and design of the schools, with the intention that construction on the Prole Road/Ōmokoroa Road site would commence in 2024.In October last year, the Ministry told Lizard News the opening was planned for 2026, and contractors were expected to be appointed in 2023.Estimates in the National Education Growth Plan originally projected the need for a new secondary school in the area by the end of the decade before locals petitioned and presented to a Parliamentary Select Committee to have the plans brought forward. ... See MoreSee Less
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