Rob Rattenbury
Columnist
Rob Rattenbury is retired and lives in Whanganui. He recently published a book about his years with the police.
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Check out Rob’s latest content
Feed the right wolf – Rob Rattenbury
OPINION: How can two peas out of the same pod sometimes be so different?
Rob Rattenbury: What Mum meant to me
OPINION: Mums; treasure them, never forget them.
Rob Rattenbury: Are NZ cops paid enough?
OPINION: NZ police are being enticed across the ditch.
Rob Rattenbury: Whanganui’s flash rush hour
Opinion: In 10 minutes Whanganui had gone from Sleepy Hollow to a bad day on the motorway.
Rob Rattenbury: A tribute to Whanganui East
OPINION: We've always been east bank people. It's got something for everyone.
Rob Rattenbury: ‘I turned 9 in state care and felt powerless’
OPINION: 'Remember the voices of the victims. They did nothing wrong.'
Rob Rattenbury: What is New Zealand’s dress code?
OPINION: What does our dress sense say about us as a country?
Rob Rattenbury: Investment in ferries vital
OPINION: We can't afford not to replace the Interislander ferries.
Rob Rattenbury: How Covid changed our lives
OPINION: Some businesses are still struggling to return to normal trading figures.
Rob Rattenbury: Dating days are a distant memory
OPINION: Five decades since his dating days, women are still a mystery to Rob Rattenbury.
Rob Rattenbury: Impressive venue result of vision, hard work
OPINION: 'Who could have imagined it could be so transformed?'
Swing voters change governments – Rob Rattenbury
OPINION: Most of us are selfish voters.
Rob Rattenbury: The joys of getting older
OPINION: We only have so many heartbeats left - no need to waste them.
Rob Rattenbury: Granddaughters changed our lives
OPINION: Some may say they are spoiled. Well, just a bit.
Rob Rattenbury: Why New Zealand is a great place for road trips
OPINION: Road trips have always been our thing.
Comment: Bare feet - some things never change
Rob Rattenbury takes a trip down memory lane - but one thing remains the same.
Rob Rattenbury: Fishing is an age-old human activity
Rods, lines, reels, bait, waders, nets, boats. The list is long for the keen fisherperson.
Rob Rattenbury: Cycling through the memories of a great sport
OPINION: I'd never get rid of my bikes.
Comment: Schools reflect Whanganui's rich heritage
Rob Rattenbury takes a look at our secondary schools' history.
Rob Rattenbury: A truant of some repute
OPINION: I do not remember much about my fourth-form year.
Rob Rattenbury: Life on Whanganui’s East side
OPINION: We never set out to live in Whanganui East but that is how it turned out.
OPINION: Whanganui the unknown jewel in crown
Rob Rattenbury enjoys the opportunity to highlight Whanganui's stories.
Rob Rattenbury: New fridge a chance to start afresh
Rob Rattenbury: All was not well with the great white monster.
When wood fire was everything in our homes
OPINION: The wood box in the lounge or living room had to be kept full.
The joy of catching up with old friends
OPINION: Rob Rattenbury says laughter is the common denominator when reuniting with mates.
Rob Rattenbury: Annoying potholes a symptom of a far bigger issue
OPINION: Big government needs to take responsibility at times.
Rob Rattenbury: A public engagement
'We knew it was coming... they both turned up late morning with a bottle of bubbles.'
Comment: Why writing is an addiction
Rob Rattenbury writes about writing and writers.
Rob Rattenbury: We want the best treaty outcomes
OPINION: We all want our country to thrive.
Comment: Facing life alone without your partner
Rob Rattenbury writes about his friends whose partners have died recently.
Whanganui’s town centre can amaze visitors
OPINION: People from outside of Whanganui are really surprised
Language not something to fear - Rob Rattenbury
OPINION: Children are like sponges when it comes to learning languages.
Rob Rattenbury: Years seem to be rolling around much quicker
OPINION: I would expect our politics to dominate the news for a while.
Christmas all about family and fun
Rob Rattenbury looks forward to a family-focused Christmas Day.
Rob Rattenbury: How mentors shape our lives
Comment: Others help parents raise their children without often even being aware of it.
Rob Rattenbury: Times have changed but fish n' chips are still for me
What's your favourite takeaway?
Comment: 'Ordinary life' impossible for many
Opinion: Rob Rattenbury reflects on how times have changed for families.
Rob Rattenbury: A sleepy hamlet and a beautiful lake
OPINION: "Everywhere one looks in Whanganui, one sees history".
Rob Rattenbury: Matthew Perry was a friend to us all
OPINION: All too often, we see shining bright stars fade away long before their time.
Comment: Plenty to buzz about in the backyard
Rob Rattenbury is enjoying the seasons and visitors to his garden.
Rob Rattenbury on Israel-Hamas war: I'm worried about where this will end this time
'The history of both sides is tragic, to say the least.'
Rob Rattenbury: Every politician has their day
OPINION: Politicians come and go, they have their moments in the sun then usually fade.
Rob Rattenbury: Remembering when we were all joggers
OPINION: The streets were filled with people running here, there and everywhere.
Comment: Police Remembrance Day a big deal
Former police officer Rob Rattenbury reflects on Police Remembrance Day.
Rob Rattenbury: Participating in the election not to be taken for granted
OPINION: We all know change can take forever, even in our little democracy.
Rob Rattenbury: Schools entrench strong networks
OPINION: We knew all the stories, the jokes, the traditions.
Comment: Telling stories hard art to master
Rob Rattenbury is trying his hand at writing fiction - but it's not smooth sailing.
Rob Rattenbury: What Six60′s Pepeha means to me
Being a New Zealander can be a complex business.
Rob Rattenbury: It’s a matter of faith
OPINION: Many in New Zealand society have moved on from active religious worship.
Comment: Happy memories of rugby-playing years
Rob Rattenbury looks back at his years of playing rugby.
Rob Rattenbury: Shopping a doddle with quieter pace of life
OPINION: A bad traffic day is when Rob Rattenbury gets two red lights at the city bridge.
Rob Rattenbury: At some point you find a home forever
OPINION: 'I put Supertramp on the stereo and wound it up. We are here and here to stay.'
Rob Rattenbury: The joy of no longer being tied down
OPINION: Rob Rattenbury reflects on a working life of ties, uniforms and suits.
Rob Rattenbury: Healthy disagreement and finding commonality
OPINION: Diverse groups with a common theme can find a place online.
Rob Rattenbury: In celebration of the country pub
OPINION: It's sad to see many of these fine establishments have gone.
Comment: Interesting election for Te Tai Hauāuru, Whanganui, Rangitīkei seats
Rob Rattenbury is predicting a tight election, with some interesting local contests.
Rob Rattenbury: Whanganui's rich history of pubs and hotels
OPINION: I thought to myself, 'Whanganui people must enjoy a great time'.
Memories of milk deliveries
'One family I delivered to went through 12 to 15 pints per day...'
Comment: Happiest years of our lives
Rob Rattenbury writes about his family's move to Whanganui 40 years ago.
Rob Rattenbury: Cemeteries are places between now and then
COMMENT: There's a lot to be learned about life from cemeteries.
Rob Rattenbury: Change is hard but we’re making progress
Comment: We forget how far we have come in our lifetimes
Rob Rattenbury: All change for the monarchy under Charles III
Rob Rattenbury writes about the changing face of the Royal Family.
Rob Rattenbury: The eight (ish) hour work day is an institution
Comment: Here follows a possible daily agenda for the last half of my working life
Rob Rattenbury on the changing role of posties
Comment: Snail mail deliveries have changed majorly in my lifetime.
Rob Rattenbury: Why I keep an open mind
Comment: I'm more your broad-brush kind of guy.
Rob Rattenbury: Lest we forget
Rob Rattenbury pays tribute to those who serve so we can live in freedom.
Comment: Streetscape retains Whanganui's history
Rob Rattenbury appreciates developers who are retaining Whanganui's old buildings.
The rewards of having a work ethic
Comment: Rob Rattenbury says our work ethic often comes from our parents.
Rob Rattenbury: In a rush
There's significantly more traffic on Whanganui's roads as the population increases.
Rob Rattenbury: Lessons from Pākaitore
Rob Rattenbury writes about the opportunities provided at Pākaitore Day.
Comment: Do we inherit memories?
Rob Rattenbury writes about overwhelming feelings of home in other places.
Rob Rattenbury: The internet is keeping us at home
Comment: Bumping into old friends uptown does not happen as much anymore
Comment: Camping provides lifelong memories
Rob Rattenbury reflects on family camping trips.
Rob Rattenbury: Whanganui - a capital city?
Rob Rattenbury writes about options for moving our capital city from Wellington.
Comment: Whanganui a jewel in NZ's crown
Rob Rattenbury reflects on Whanganui's rich history.
Comment: Home comforts never felt so good as they do now.
Why go anywhere? It's just nicer being at home, writes Rob Rattenbury.
Comment: Mostly wrong, sometimes right - predictions for 2023
Mostly we get it wrong, but sometimes we call it.
Rob Rattenbury: Media vital for healthy democracy
"The media has a responsibility to keep our politicians and other public figures honest."
The one sport I could never wrap my head around
Comment: Rob Rattenbury admits he's mystified by the allure of golf.