July 1 2025
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Celebrating Kaipara spirit Legal advice sought on town hall A decision on the fate of Dargaville’s beleaguered town hall has been deferred for at least a month, as council …
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Bright autumn sunlight greeted the winners of the 2025 Kaipara Citizen of the Year Awards and the Kaipara Environment Awards last Tuesday, as they gathered at the Lighthouse Function Centre to receive the grateful accolades of their peers. Seven citizenship awards and three environmental awards were handed out to deserving winners from across the district, for community leaders in sports, culture, ecology, education and more. Full details are included in this edition.
New medical centre for Dargaville
Kaipara’s good neighbours The Kaipara Citizens’ Awards celebrate the volunteers, leaders and community advocates in the district’s …
by Andy Bryenton
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Petition says no to fluoride A petition bearing 16 pages of signatures has been presented to local authorities, asking that fluoride be excluded …
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Dargaville has long needed additional medical care coverage, with both its hospital and medical centre trying very hard to recruit qualified staff and reduce waiting times to see a doctor. Now, there’s confirmation that a new medical practice will open in Dargaville on July 14, with general practitioners on hand to address routine medical issues. The new clinic has been established as an expansion of the Maungatapere Medical Centre, just outside of Whangārei. Doctors there identified the need for further medical coverage in Dargaville and they moved to employ more staff and expand their operations. “We are looking forward to adding further health service support to a community with currently stretched health
services,” says practice co-director and registered nurse Liz Denton. “A big thank you to all that have supported our continued negotiations with Health New Zealand that has helped make this possible.” The new medical practice will open in the same building housing Dargaville’s dentist in Hokianga Road. Initially, doctors will only be available two days each week as the practice grows into its space, but these times are planned to swiftly expand. While Ms Denton confirms that this will be a general practice, and that acute
care will not initially be available at the new location, those enrolled there will be able to utilise the clinic’s after-hours service through until 8pm on weekdays, and from 8am to 8pm on weekends and public holidays. Dargaville’s new doctors, Maungatapere Medical, are taking enrolments now, with an eye to gauging public uptake and expanding their offering. Those who wish to know more about this new medical practice, or who wish to put their name on the list, can email enrol@maungataperemedical.co.nz.
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