The host of The Country, Jamie MacKay, promoted it as "The Great Water Quality Debate". He introduced the two protagonists using political

The Country's resident cynic investigates the murky world of social-media one-upmanship.

COMMENT: If the success of the rat-kill on Rakitu Island is anything to go by, NZ is unlikely to be clear of pests by 2050.

Jamie Mackay wades in to the water quality debate

COMMENT: There has been serious attention paid to concussion in sport recently.

Poor Cynthia. Cynthia Bowers has suggested an Environmental Ombudsman for Hawke's Bay. Given the heated debates about water quality

With calving almost over and mating on the horizon it's time to have a review of one of the most significant decisions you will make

COMMENT: New Zealand's economy has grown by 3.6 per cent in the past year, one of the top performers in the OECD - ahead of Australia, the US and UK.

Three things cropped up this week as brainstorming material in the intriguing bubble we call sport. No1: Stephen Kearney's appointment

Dom George wonders if Marcella Bakker is really looking for love or just looking for a TV show...

COMMENT: There is widespread evidence that interactions between people and marine mammals can have negative outcomes.

Spring is the month for blossoms, lambs and...bees! I found out this week that September is Bee Aware Month. This is initiated

In the back country, everyone knows everyone - and they joke they're probably related as well. In emergencies, this connectedness

Craig Presland, CEO of Cooperative Business New Zealand believes this country is an outstanding example of the enduring success of the co-operative business model.

Dom George writes a touching and heartfelt and in no way sarcastic tribute to his boss The Country host Jamie Mackay.

Like most people in Hawke's Bay I feel very sorry about what's happened in Havelock North. However, the longer it takes for authorities

COMMENT: Winston Peters is a political showman who likes to keep 'em guessing, including those in his own party.

The New Zealand First conference in the weekend showed that Winston Peters is becoming the hybrid "Trump and Sanders of New Zealand politics".

When a bug in Havelock North's water supply caused an outbreak of campylobacter weeks ago, we asked the question, how could this happen in NZ?

COMMENT: Every time Father's Day rolls around, it makes me think about the huge influence a father can have upon a daughter.

Consumers are demanding more traceability when it comes to what we eat but, as illustrated by the incident in Havelock North recently

Dom takes on some ill-informed keyboard warriors in this week's Furious George.

Clean drinking water is something most of us take for granted in New Zealand - or at least we did until the shocking outbreak of gastric

During the year of 2011 the Healthy Populations team for the Hawke's Bay District Health Board at that time developed their Strategic

Heading into a third year of low prices, questions have to be asked whether the dairy industry is on a false path. If so, where is the path back to firm ground?

There was a presidential-style entrance and a standing ovation as Winston Peters turned up to speak in Dannevirke recently. Ron Mark

We need to move past the blame game and seek meaningful and lasting answers, says William Rolleston.

Co-operatives need a new, dynamic business model, says Ruth Richardson.

Have you ever slipped your hand inside a cow having difficulty calving, felt two large front feet, and thought 'I'm going to need

It's a burden for landowners to host public infrastructure on their property and most have been installed in the past without compensation. Utilities