Happy New Year!

BayBuzz posted almost 600 articles online over 2025. Looking over the list of ‘best sellers’, many were related to HB’s local elections, which we reported far more extensively than the local newspaper. 

But in putting together a ‘best of’ list this year, I’ve set those aside, as voters have decided their own ‘best of’. Instead I’ve selected a few articles that I think best preview what is in store for Hawke’s Bay in 2026, as we all begin to anticipate the year ahead.

In Who really runs Hawke’s Bay? We looked at our elected officials ad hoc mechanisms for making truly regional plans and decisions. With three new mayors and a new HBRC chair, some regional entities set to expire (or refresh), it will be interesting to see how the new team copes with serious regional matters.

Adding to the uncertainty, the Government has weighed in heavily on how we locals manage our affairs. Both with a plan to force regions to consolidate their multi-council structures, starting with scrapping regional councils (reported here and here, and imposition of legislated rates caps (reported here). These measures on top of Government-mandated reorganisation of how our water services are delivered (reported here, here, and in most detail here: Lifting the fog on HB water costs.

Apart from councils struggling to operate within a rates cap environment, the main other set of issues to contend with in 2026 involve ‘water security’. For some that means building dams – see Battle of the HB dams begins, HB doubling down on dams?, and Solving the Heretaunga water puzzle.

For others, ‘water security’ translates into ‘flood resilience’, potentially a $600 million issue for Hawke’s Bay – see Progress on flood protection. For many, environmental protection aside, this is the principal mission of the soon to be dismantled HB Regional Council.

But enough of politics. There’s the unsettling matter of the region’s economic prospects.

Where do our private sector jobs presently come from? See HB’s top 50 employers.

Should we be worried? See 32 million bottles … ‘peak wine for HB? Or Righting the Rockit ship. Or Who dictates HB’s farming future? Or Will HB’s population continue to grow?

Not a heap of upbeat content in the above articles. Sorry to rain on your summer holiday! 

While BayBuzz loves to celebrate the positive achievements (large and small) and enviable lifestyle of Hawke’s Bay, our principal editorial mission is to worry, while advocating ways forward.

That’s what we’ll continue to do a challenging 2026, even as we ponder how best to fill the need!