Sonya is a regional content leader for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post
Sonya Bateson is a writer, reader, and crafter raising her family in Tauranga. She is a millennial who enjoys eating avocado on toast, drinking lattes and defying stereotypes. As a sceptic, she reserves the right to change her mind when presented with new evidence.
Jason Momoa made honorary citizen of Rotorua
Mayor Tania Tapsell described the moment as 'really special'.
'More strategic' hiring: Talented jobseekers struggling to find work
There is still some pain to come but the mood is lifting, a recruiter says.
'Massive': Why Jetstar flights are good news for Tauranga and Rotorua
Flights to two Australian cities will soon be available closer to home.
Revealed: The Bay of Plenty's favourite illicit drugs - and the harm they do
Wastewater testing reveals the amount of drugs Bay people are consuming.
'A baby rave': The Wiggles headline new music festival for children
'It’s more than a concert. It’s sort of like a ... baby rave.'
‘I would go home and not sleep’: How police cope with crash trauma
Once they were expected to 'harden', or have a beer - now there are better ways.
‘I try not to look at their face’: How firefighters cope with the trauma of car crashes
'Even if we forget the faces, we remember when we drive by'
12-year high: The region catching 50+ drink drivers a week
Police are shocked by how severely intoxicated some drivers are.
Fines and debt collectors: Car parkers stung at shopping centres
'I fought for two weeks to get it sorted and kept getting the run-around.'
'Unmanageable': Principal blasts Govt 'overstepping' with phone ban
He describes the blanket ban as 'another step into central government control'.
Rest home owner and staff told to apologise to family of man who died after a fall
The man had a fall inside the rest home and died two weeks later.
Why Tauranga could see a 'significant drop' in cruise visits next season
Increased operating costs in New Zealand among reasons for predicted drop in bookings.
Boarding house ordered to pay $37k for removing hot water taps, lack of heating
Edgecumbe House did not comply with healthy homes rules and a range of other regulations.
Opinion: Social media scammers have me longing for the old days
OPINION: Bad buyers and sellers online are tricky and can fool the best of us.
Opinion: Housing crisis is a disaster so why is there little empathy for its victims?
Opinion: 'It’s absolutely disgusting that our country has such a severe housing problem.'
Opinion: Penalise teen criminals - but do it this way
Opinion: Do you remember your teenage years?
Sonya Bateson: The kind of 'free ride' we should give jobseekers
OPINION: The 'free ride' for beneficiaries is over, according to PM.
Opinion: Prosecuting homeless beggars seems pointless
Opinion: "Being poor should not be a crime."
Sonya Bateson: Being a grandparent is a privilege, not a right
OPINION: A lot of conflict arises between modern parents and grandparents.
Food prices should be lower - despite extreme weather
OPINION: I thought fruit was supposed to get cheaper in the summer.
Sonya Bateson: I think schooling should be free. All of it
Opinion: We all want what’s best for our children, regardless of our financial position.
Marriage is on a downward trend and here’s why
Opinion: Who wants to be resentful and unhappy?
Opinion: What to do when you see a shark
'Bronzies are one thing but great whites are quite a different kettle of fish'.
Sonya Bateson: Now's the perfect time to start building good habits
OPINION: New Year’s resolutions aren’t for everyone.
It's okay to say 'no' this Christmas
OPINION: Putting on a happy face for family and friends can feel like a mammoth task.
Opinion: Stop treating renters like naughty children
Opinion: Being a renter is an expensive and stressful business.
How the Mount's wild New Year's Eves were tamed — and what was learned
OPINION: Teens and young adults used to come from all over to get drunk.
Why being poor costs more - and foodbanks need our support
Opinion: The cost-of-living crisis has turned a hard situation into an impossible one.
Opinion: I might complain a lot but I wouldn’t live anywhere else
Opinion: I may rag on this place from time to time, but I truly love it here.
Opinion: People shouldn't have to put up and shut up
OPINION: We share our experiences because we want our experiences and fears to be heard.
'Once it’s gone, it’s gone': The risks of cities sprawling into farmland
OPINION: Yes, we need houses, but productive land is a precious and finite resource.
Why saying ‘I saw it on TikTok’ just doesn’t cut it
OPINION: It's the internet-age equivalent of 'Aunty Margaret’s sister-in-law ... said'.
Pricey GP visits, long waits lead to 'ridiculous use of hospital resources'
Opinion: Every day I am amazed at how people worse off than me manage to get by.
Sonya Bateson: Labour’s downfall was not rocking the boat
OPINION: It felt more like the Labour government took a “hold on and wait” approach.
Sonya Bateson: Wear what you want on polling day... just be there
OPINION: Do you remember your first voting day? I remember mine clearly.
Sonya Bateson: Life is about to get harder for low-wage workers
OPINION: Paid parking zones are going to cover an extended area.
Sonya Bateson: Impoverished children of today are adults of tomorrow
OPINION: Society will suffer if we let our children be deprived of a good future.
Opinion: Why paying for parking won't kill this popular Bay spot
OPINION: I don’t think the Mount is going to face a shortage of visitors.
Opinion: Gifts, compliments and lovey-dovey text messages can be signs of an abuser
OPINION: I’m a relationship forum addict.
Opinion: Mind boggling how dental care is not part of health system
OPINION: Our teeth are important. Let’s treat them that way.
Sonya Bateson: Fresh trauma deserves the most recognition in our justice system
Opinion: The sentence discounts for cultural reports should be far smaller.
Sonya Bateson: Cutting GST on fruit and veg sounds good but leaves a bad taste
Opinion: It turns out that affordable fruit and vegetables make a good election bribe.
Sonya Bateson on housing: Desperate times call for desperate measures
OPINION: Ngāi Te Rangi's plans seem a neat solution.
Sonya Bateson: Our city centre is grim. We need change, progress and personality
Opinion: The chance to build something great is a once-in-a-generation opportunity.
Opinion: If you can’t afford to buy now – then you probably shouldn’t
Opinion: There’s more pressure on tight budgets in winter.
Sonya Bateson: Parents hunting for bargains on kids toys face tough choices
Opinion: "I do have twinges of guilt for buying from these websites."
Opinion: Get over it nimbys, these works need to happen
Opinion: We can’t put progress off forever. Eventually, the bill always comes due.
Opinion: Our kids should not be guinea pigs for vaping
Opinion: We don’t know the full impact of vaping’s health impacts yet.
Opinion: Deliberately misnaming, misgendering people is cruel and inhumane
OPINION: Identity change has always been a thing - even in the good old days.
Opinion: Why evicting unruly state tenants is not the answer
OPINION: Kicking unruly tenants out is going to have its own implications for society.
Opinion: Supermarket body cameras must not be misused
Opinion: I believe there’s a line to be drawn here.
Sonya Bateson: Bilingual signs issue an opportunity to recalibrate on racism
Opinion: Each of us will have our own thresholds for perceiving what is offensive.
Opinion: Poverty is a circumstance - not a character flaw
Opinion: "It’s a cycle. A trap. And one that is incredibly difficult to escape."
Opinion: Why I'm only slightly surprised by this Budget
OPINION: The announcement I'm most interested in - for selfish reasons.
Opinion: Why the toll road price hikes really grind my gears
OPINION: If I’m paying to drive on a road, I want the option of being able to safely pass.
Sonya Bateson: My view on whether we should build the controversial stadium
Opinion: I like the idea - but I also cherish our parks and green spaces.
Joy, fear and long hours: Why the people in this job are some of the hardest workers
Opinion: Midwifery is a hard job - I couldn't do it.
Sonya Bateson: Anything on our phones can be used against us
OPINION: It’s not fair to shame people that fall victim to scam artists and predators.
Sonya Bateson: How dare I suggest introducing a fee for a public space, right?
OPINION: I can feel the anger of some letter writers and social media commenters already.
Opinion: 'I felt like dirt. Low. Worthless.' Why horrid customers are the memorable ones
OPINION: Make low-wage jobs more attractive by being nicer.
Sonya Bateson: My tips to save money during the cost of living crisis
OPINION: Hands up if you’re feeling the pinch of the cost of living.
Sonya Bateson: Park punt on racecourse worth taking
OPINION: Green spaces are good for our city's health.
Sonya Bateson: Drag performance for children just cute, wholesome fun
OPINION: Dressing up can be magical.
Opinion: Our already anxious country is about to come under a lot more pressure
OPINION: We will do what we can to get through this hard time together.
Sonya Bateson: Social media - we can’t live with it; we can’t live without it
OPINION: I hate social media.
Sonya Bateson: Why is tipping rearing its ugly head in our society?
OPINION: 'Now I fear that tipping is creeping more and more into everyday life.'
Sonya Bateson: Expensive school uniforms a yoke around parents’ necks
OPINION: If we got rid of uniforms, we could see hand-me-downs back in the schoolyard.
Sonya Bateson: Your son wants to play with dolls? Let him
OPINION: My boy can play with whatever (age-appropriate) toys he wants.
Sonya Bateson: Where’s the plan to combat a looming recession?
OPINION: I found myself investigating how to make reusable toilet paper this week.
Sonya Bateson: ‘Uniqueness’ is the name of the game
OPINION: That's my name, don't wear it out.
Sonya Bateson: Respect the power of the ocean
Opinion: Suddenly, I felt myself being dragged out to sea. It all happened so fast.
Sonya Bateson: Christmas is a time to cherish family and home
OPINION: Home is where your family is.
Sonya Bateson: Fines should be based on a person’s income
OPINION: Fines are not fine when they target low-income people.
Sonya Bateson: Stop giving gifts that are meaningless and wasteful
OPINION: What we choose to give the people we love and appreciate should spark joy.
Sonya Bateson: Rising one culture up won’t bring another down
OPINION: Our country’s past is our shared heritage and it deserves to be remembered.
Opinion: Reasons why 16-year-olds should be allowed to vote
OPINION: There is nothing dangerous about the act of voting, at least not in New Zealand.
Sonya Bateson: Grocery shopping is grim. No wonder families are doing it hard
OPINION: It’s hard to keep trimming the fat when even cheese is a distant dream.
Sonya Bateson: Stop the blame game on emergency housing - we need action
OPINION: Families need homes now. We don't have the luxury of time.
Sonya Bateson: Past remedies can be solutions to modern problems
OPINION: We don't have to reinvent the wheel, but we sure can give it a few tweaks.
Sonya Bateson: We don't want our children becoming rapists through ignorance
OPINION: Parents should be teaching young adults about healthy sexual relationships.