Raetihi struggles to recover two years after mill closures as election looms

The September 10 2024 decision by Winstone Pulp International to shut the Karioi pulp mill and Tangiwai sawmill removed roughly 230 positions, a blow to Raetihi and surrounding communities. Former mill operator Edmonds describes the town’s decline: shuttered shops, a primary school roll that fell from about 300 to 89, and median personal income of $33,200, well under the national average. The Ngā Waihua o Paerangi Trust tracks 213 ex-workers, finding many have left the Ruapehu district or taken reduced-pay jobs, while competition for low-wage work has risen.

Initiatives such as a $4.4 million health-centre upgrade and the opening of Robin’s Nest Bistro offer some hope, yet locals like Mayor Weston Kirton and iwi leaders stress the need for sustained government investment and relief from rising electricity costs. With a national election looming, residents hope the basics—jobs, affordable housing and reliable services—will be restored.