December 23, 2025 • 5 mins
The Far North District is a hot-spot for Kiwis looking to get away over the holidays.
However, due to the impacts of cyclones, storms and COVID - the area's businesses are still struggling.
Far North District Mayor Moko Tepania told Andrew Dickens that tourism this summer is key to boosting Northland's struggling businesses.
'We need you all to come up here and spend your money because our businesses bloody need it.'
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
It'd be follow this and our wide range of podcasts
now on iHeartRadio. We're off to Northland, the forested subtropical paradise,
the winterless North that some may call it. But it's
been a big year for the region's businesses with the
Transpower pylon, remember that causing major disruption and there are
problems still ongoing. As some might want to pay some
(00:33):
love to the region this summer. So much to do
the Caprianga Lighthouse, ninety Mile Beach, the Giant sand Dunes
or of course the Big Treehuta. So the Far North
District mayor is Moko Tapania and Macho joins you. Now,
good Mordi Moku, Hey, how are you?
Speaker 1 (00:51):
I'm bredy, brilliant mate, I am on summer subtropical paradise.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Can't beat it exactly that pylon? Have business? Have businesses recovered?
And how's the class action going?
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Haven't recovered that fly? We need you all to come
up here and spend your with me because little bloody
me it class action going ahead against trans Power and
I just have a lot of that hope work listens
to it really pushed right whether it was COVID or
(01:28):
cyclone Gabrielle cyclone ten. We had a year and a
half worth of bloody weather bombs. It's going great right now,
so come on up. I've spend your money to help
them out.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Yeah, you had to run a bad luck. And of
course the new government's talking about extending the motorway all
the way from Auckland all the way to fuck Array
and getting over that whole Britain do and issue as well.
But some people are outside of your region to sit
there and go this is going to be a really,
really really expensive road. Is it worth it?
Speaker 1 (02:03):
You know, ask any one of the two hundred thousand
Northumbers all this place. This road is needed and it's needed.
This isn't a want or a nice say. This is
something that our region absolutely requires. And to the three
hundred thousand visitors that come to our district every summer,
this is going to unlock the huge, significant potential that
(02:25):
Northern hares exective ing and poor cousin ready to be
the rich cousin. And that is one of the key
pieces of the digital puzzle that's currently missing. That is
going to unlock the ultimate potential available head for the
rest of the country.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
All right, so we know which side you're on. Do
you think it's going to happen?
Speaker 1 (02:43):
This is not a not an earth. This is a win.
And we've seen both blue and Red covernment supported of
different sections of the Northern Expressway over the years. The
faster we can do it, the cheaper will be and
the sooner we get it, the better will gather with
our boost our economy up here in our empowered the country.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Okay, okay, so we'll wait to see what happens. Look,
the road up there is not that bag. Let's come on.
I mean, if the Britdwins is closed, it's a lovely
trip through through lands and then and through through Waitpu.
So you're wanting people to come up there and spend
the money. What's happening.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Exactly? And we do beautiful alternative route. They're just not resilient.
They being ruins themselves. That gorge only has a teeny
lifespan less to it, and it was after we pumped
them money and to do some staatemilizing experience. So the
express Away and the alternate to the Benduins is absolutely required.
(03:43):
But we've got to go through all of the processes
so that we can get it up and get it com.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Yeah, but sell the region. What's happening up there this summer?
Speaker 1 (03:53):
Oh the summer mate, What isn't happening up here? You know?
I'll talk about the Finnels itself. My districtive hundred school
kilometers made up of two hundred and fifteen settlements the
East Coast, the East Coast, in the west, go the world.
Were supposed to there so much to see just over
summer itself. Though. We've got white any day at South
(04:18):
and Debree. Actually there's white any week in rations up here.
It's always the great thing for people to come up
and explore one hundred and forty four islands in the
day of islands alone that you can come up and explore.
We've got a tall shit together in Russell celebrating its
fiftieth anniversary in January. We've got an exprevaganzas here in
(04:40):
white thing over the Lake Henry as well Bay of
Islands Sailing Week Norton and Auckland Anniversary is going to
be by the great come up here and you are
going to find an event to see your taste across
our different settlements. A great timeier in Aubourne.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Well, Mircael, I've always said, who needs Greece when you've
got Northland?
Speaker 1 (05:02):
Who needs Greece when you've got Marsine. Who needs Dubai
where you've got the PUCKI Sndrems. Who needs the Pacific
Islands when you've got the Bay of Islands, township, twin
beaches with thin twin.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
He's good, ladies and gentlemen, he's good. His name is
Makot Tapania. He is the Far North District Mayor.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Mochlu.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Thank you so much for joining us on the Summer
Breakfast today.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
Hi Kula, thank you very much for more from News
Talks B listen live on air or online, and keep
our shows with you wherever you go with our podcast
on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
It'd be follow this and our wide range of podcasts
now on iHeartRadio. We're off to Northland, the forested subtropical paradise,
the winterless North that some may call it. But it's
been a big year for the region's businesses with the
Transpower pylon, remember that causing major disruption and there are
problems still ongoing. As some might want to pay some
(00:33):
love to the region this summer. So much to do
the Caprianga Lighthouse, ninety Mile Beach, the Giant sand Dunes
or of course the Big Treehuta. So the Far North
District mayor is Moko Tapania and Macho joins you. Now,
good Mordi Moku, Hey, how are you?
Speaker 1 (00:51):
I'm bredy, brilliant mate, I am on summer subtropical paradise.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Can't beat it exactly that pylon? Have business? Have businesses recovered?
And how's the class action going?
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Haven't recovered that fly? We need you all to come
up here and spend your with me because little bloody
me it class action going ahead against trans Power and
I just have a lot of that hope work listens
to it really pushed right whether it was COVID or
(01:28):
cyclone Gabrielle cyclone ten. We had a year and a
half worth of bloody weather bombs. It's going great right now,
so come on up. I've spend your money to help
them out.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Yeah, you had to run a bad luck. And of
course the new government's talking about extending the motorway all
the way from Auckland all the way to fuck Array
and getting over that whole Britain do and issue as well.
But some people are outside of your region to sit
there and go this is going to be a really,
really really expensive road. Is it worth it?
Speaker 1 (02:03):
You know, ask any one of the two hundred thousand
Northumbers all this place. This road is needed and it's needed.
This isn't a want or a nice say. This is
something that our region absolutely requires. And to the three
hundred thousand visitors that come to our district every summer,
this is going to unlock the huge, significant potential that
(02:25):
Northern hares exective ing and poor cousin ready to be
the rich cousin. And that is one of the key
pieces of the digital puzzle that's currently missing. That is
going to unlock the ultimate potential available head for the
rest of the country.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
All right, so we know which side you're on. Do
you think it's going to happen?
Speaker 1 (02:43):
This is not a not an earth. This is a win.
And we've seen both blue and Red covernment supported of
different sections of the Northern Expressway over the years. The
faster we can do it, the cheaper will be and
the sooner we get it, the better will gather with
our boost our economy up here in our empowered the country.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Okay, okay, so we'll wait to see what happens. Look,
the road up there is not that bag. Let's come on.
I mean, if the Britdwins is closed, it's a lovely
trip through through lands and then and through through Waitpu.
So you're wanting people to come up there and spend
the money. What's happening.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Exactly? And we do beautiful alternative route. They're just not resilient.
They being ruins themselves. That gorge only has a teeny
lifespan less to it, and it was after we pumped
them money and to do some staatemilizing experience. So the
express Away and the alternate to the Benduins is absolutely required.
(03:43):
But we've got to go through all of the processes
so that we can get it up and get it com.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Yeah, but sell the region. What's happening up there this summer?
Speaker 1 (03:53):
Oh the summer mate, What isn't happening up here? You know?
I'll talk about the Finnels itself. My districtive hundred school
kilometers made up of two hundred and fifteen settlements the
East Coast, the East Coast, in the west, go the world.
Were supposed to there so much to see just over
summer itself. Though. We've got white any day at South
(04:18):
and Debree. Actually there's white any week in rations up here.
It's always the great thing for people to come up
and explore one hundred and forty four islands in the
day of islands alone that you can come up and explore.
We've got a tall shit together in Russell celebrating its
fiftieth anniversary in January. We've got an exprevaganzas here in
(04:40):
white thing over the Lake Henry as well Bay of
Islands Sailing Week Norton and Auckland Anniversary is going to
be by the great come up here and you are
going to find an event to see your taste across
our different settlements. A great timeier in Aubourne.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Well, Mircael, I've always said, who needs Greece when you've
got Northland?
Speaker 1 (05:02):
Who needs Greece when you've got Marsine. Who needs Dubai
where you've got the PUCKI Sndrems. Who needs the Pacific
Islands when you've got the Bay of Islands, township, twin
beaches with thin twin.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
He's good, ladies and gentlemen, he's good. His name is
Makot Tapania. He is the Far North District Mayor.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Mochlu.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Thank you so much for joining us on the Summer
Breakfast today.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
Hi Kula, thank you very much for more from News
Talks B listen live on air or online, and keep
our shows with you wherever you go with our podcast
on iHeartRadio.
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