11 Dec 2025: Maori rugby league tournaments, hot weather
Media: Rotorua Daily Post
Topic: Loss of Aotearoa NZ Maori Rugby League tournaments
Enquiry
I've recently learnt that Rotorua has lost the contracts to hold most of the Aotearoa NZ Maori Rugby League tournaments, which is a massive blow to our events calendar and visitor sectors.
As I'm sure you're aware, out of the six tournaments, only one will remain in Rotorua.
I have interviewed the ANZMRL chairman John Devonshire who has hinted that perhaps the Rotorua Lakes Council could have saved the contracts if it had been a bit more receptive and welcoming.
Can I please ask you to answer the following and respond before 2pm tomorrow (Thursday)
- Is this a massive blow for our visitor industry?
- Did the council take these contracts for granted?
- Was the council aware we could lose these events?
- What did the council do to try and stop these events from going elsewhere?
- Did the council offer appropriate discounts to the ANZMRL?
- Has the restructuring around Rotorua NZ, Events and Venues etc played a part in this getting missed/lost/neglected?
- What will Rotorua do to try and win this contract back for the city?
- Below are comments from John Devonshire. Can you please respond directly to the highlighted criticism?
Questions for Mayor Tapsell:
Were you aware these contracts were at risk?
Has the restructuring around events and venues contributed to this loss?
What can we learn from this to try and win it back? Will you fight to get it back?
Comment from NZMRL chairman:
New Zealand Māori Rugby League chairman John Devonshire said Rotorua had hosted the first of the tournaments for the past 13 years and had been a big part of their growth.
A recent study of their growth, showed there were 6019 players alone who took part over six tournaments in Rotorua in 2024.
Those players plus their coaches, managers, families, and supporters brought in millions of dollars to the city for the accommodation, hospitality and tourism sectors.
Devonshire said holding the tournaments in Rotorua made sense because of its central location and accommodation infrastructure, with motels and marae able to cater for large groups.
The tournaments’ major sponsor, One Foundation, was also based in Rotorua.
Devonshire said a decision was made this year to “freshen up” their tournaments by “sharing the love around the motu”.
The six tournaments would be held in Rotorua, Hawera, two in Auckland, Kerikeri and Hopuhopu.
He said it was great to be able to give other regions an understanding of the value the tournaments brought to the areas.
He said that while a need for change was the main reason for their decision not to keep all tournaments in Rotorua, he said he hoped the Rotorua Lakes Council reflected on what the city would miss out on.
“It is nice to be able to give the opportunities to the rest of the motu to understand what it is like to host tournaments of this size.”
Devonshire said he knew it would be a blow for many of the motels and other businesses involved in the events industry.
If there were to be any local improvement to win back the tournaments, Devonshire said it would be good if the Rotorua Lakes Council was “a bit more welcoming, receptive and co-operative”, given the large investment and benefit to the area.
“We love Rotorua as a venue, it’s centrally located and we have built up great relationships with people in the city over the years. This won’t be forever; we will be back.”
In response to a question from us asking what specific concerns or issued Mr Devonshire had with RLC’s support of the event, the reporter provided the following:
He wasn't prepared to elaborate on the record and this was all he was prepared for me to report.
However, I believe he's referring to things such as cost compared with the return the city was getting, last minute changes to Westbrook fields' availability, and a general lack of acceptance/gratefulness over what the tournaments bring to Rotorua.
Response
From RLC Parks and Open Spaces Manager Rob Pitkethley:
All events are a boost and benefit for our community and we would welcome them back.
We were informed the events would not be returning next year but there has been no approach from organisers to discuss any specific concerns they have or options for keeping these tournaments in Rotorua. It is not unusual for events like this to move around but we would be happy to have further discussions.
Our team has always worked hard to try and accommodate these popular events which have grown over time, with the three biggest of the six tournaments outgrowing Puketawhero Park and having to move to Westbrook where there is sufficient capacity.
Rotorua Lakes Council has an operational role that includes working with organisers regarding field bookings and assisting with logistics. Until this year when ANZMRL employed a tournament manager, we also provided event management support.
Field and facility use costs were discounted to recognise economic and social benefits the events bring, which is the same approach taken for all tournaments and community events.
The tournaments also receive event funding that is now provided through RotoruaNZ.
Re has moving events and venues services to RotoruaNZ impacted these events – no, both the council and RotoruaNZ have continued to support these tournaments.
RotoruaNZ provided the following comments:
RotoruaNZ invests in events that drive visitation and benefit our community.
Sporting events like these create economic impact for our city, and we see a clear uplift in visitation as a result.
Support for the NZ Māori Rugby League Tournament has not changed since the events and venue’s function moved from RLC to RotoruaNZ.
RotoruaNZ are open to welcoming the tournament back and are happy to talk with organisers about future opportunities, especially given Rotorua’s enthusiasm and appetite for rugby league.
Mayor Tapsell provided the following comment:
“We were deeply saddened to learn about Aotearoa NZ Māori Rugby League’s decision to host these tournaments elsewhere.
“We've often gone above and beyond to welcome and show ANZMRL our commitment to support their tournaments and ensure teams have the best experience here. Even as Mayor, I have proactively reached out and supported them because we are ambitious about the future of rugby league in Rotorua and the many players involved.
“Rotorua is home to many national and international sporting events because of our excellent ability to host, plenty of affordable accommodation options, and central location.
“While this decision has been entirely ANZMRL’s, I’m mindful of how this may impact the cost and experience for their players and supporters. I encourage ANZMRL to consider all feedback from their participants about this change and we hope to see them return to Rotorua as soon as possible.”
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Media: NZME (Rotorua Daily Post and BOP Times)
Topic: Hot weather
Enquiry
I'm looking into a story about the recent high temperatures signaling a hot summer to come, and I'm wondering whether the Rotorua Aquatic Centre has seen/expects to see an increase in the number of people using its facilities this summer?
Can you please share some further information on this?
Response
From Leah Burgess, Rotorua Aquatic Centre facility manager:
It hasn’t been noticeably busier than normal for this time of year yet but there’s definitely a link between increasing temperatures and numbers through our doors as people look for a safe and enjoyable place to cool off.
At this time of year we’re hosting school groups wrapping up the year as well as lots of families who start coming in as soon as summer hits.
