Nine To Noon Around the motu: Piers Fuller
Mar 17, 2026
Piers Fuller, editor of the Wairarapa Times-Age and local reporter in Masterton, talks local campaigns and community projects. He covers the push to restore direct flights and the $17m Hood Aerodrome upgrade. He outlines a campaign for a local dialysis unit and the paper’s planned investigations. He celebrates hosting the Golden Shears and volunteers reviving the miniature railway.
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Hood Aerodrome Upgrade Enables Flight Opportunities
- Masterton's Hood Aerodrome got a $17 million upgrade that enables certain aircraft and CAA certification.
- $10 million came from the Provincial Growth Fund and $7 million from local ratepayers, positioning Masterton to pursue restored regional flights.
Regional Flights Face Commercial Viability Hurdles
- Restoring a regular Masterton–Auckland air link faces commercial challenges like aircraft availability and rising operating costs.
- Viability depends on carriers willing to serve regional routes and potential council guarantees or seat commitments to underwrite services.
Ross Taylor's Campaign Driven By His Mother's Experience
- Ross Taylor and ex-MP Kieran McAnulty launched a petition after Ross's mother needed frequent dialysis and died, highlighting travel burdens.
- Patients currently drive over the Rimutaka Hill multiple times weekly, prompting calls for a local dialysis clinic in Wairarapa.