May 12, 2022
Tapsell enters Rotorua mayoral race
Rotorua Lakes District councillor Tania Tapsell wants to step up to the mayoralty.
She says in the last two elections she was the highest-polling candidate, and now Mayor Steve Chadwick is stepping down her community is asking her to step up.
Her biggest challenge will be to address the city’s housing crisis.
“We don’t build the homes but what we can do is unlock the land and make the consenting process a lot easier. We need to make it attractive for people who want to invest in Rotorua and build a home, and also affordable – the average house price when I came into council was $400,000. It’s $750,000 today,” Ms Tapsell says.
The Rotorua council also has a crucial role to play in supporting tourism operators, especially the smaller firms.