In July, Tauranga will choose who will be running their city for the first time in five years. A mayor and nine councillors will replace the four-person commission that has been in place since February 2021.

To keep people informed ahead of the election on July 20, Local Democracy Reporting asked the 15 mayoral candidates their thoughts on four topics. Before voting opens on June 29 readers will hear from each of the mayoral candidates.

Tina Salisbury is married with two adult daughters. She also has two dogs, a cat, and six chickens at her Welcome Bay home.

The 57-year-old is a justice of the peace, community advocate and has owned small businesses. She is also a board member for three local community organisations.

Salisbury was a Tauranga City councillor from 2019, became deputy mayor in mid 2020 until February 2021 when the council was discharged of its duties.

She says she “navigated a challenging political environment while maintaining and continuing to deliver outcomes for the community”. Salisbury is running for mayor and not in a ward.

Tauranga is the least affordable city in New Zealand because of an infrastructure and housing deficit. How would you address this?

"I’ll deliver multi-faceted cost-cutting approaches to this complex problem.

"Through public-private partnerships and engage private sector investment and expertise to share costs and risks.

"Also optimise land use by encouraging mixed-use developments that combine residential, commercial, and recreational spaces.

"As well as identify and develop under-utilised public land for housing and/or infrastructure projects; thereby reducing land purchasing costs."

What would you do to keep young adults in Tauranga and attract others to the city?

"I’ll support entrepreneurship through incubators, co-working spaces, innovation hubs, and encourage mentorship programs for startups and small businesses.

"Promote cultural, recreational, entertainment facilities, a vibrant nightlife with events, festivals, and a hub for gaming tech and conventions.

"Encourage the construction of rental apartments, co-living spaces, and affordable homeownership opportunities.

"I’ve been in talks with University of Waikato about its expansion plans for the Tauranga campus, and to facilitate increasing accommodation.

"Invest in and maintain green spaces because our young people often prioritise sustainability and quality outdoor environments. Improve public transport infrastructure to make commuting easy, multimodal, and affordable."

Tauranga will have its first Māori Ward this election. The Government plans to require councils to hold a binding referendum on Māori wards established after March 2021. This means the Te Awanui Māori ward could only be in place for one term. Given the change in Government policy, is it important for Tauranga to keep this ward?

"I believe any opportunity to increase representation in Tauranga is a win.

"The Māori ward does that and provides an elected seat for tangata whenua to participate in decision making processes for the good of the whole city.

"The Māori worldview enriches the discussions, enhancing our diverse thinking, and will contribute to more comprehensive and effective solutions for our communities.

"Diverse representation will also lead to well-rounded and informed decision-making.

"It is important for us as a city and communities to regularly review options to increase fair and equitable representation, and having a Māori Ward supports that."

Hypothetically, if Tauranga won the lotto and there was no budget, what big ticket item would you want for the city? Excluding infrastructure, like roads and water services and housing.

"I would want a cutting-edge innovation and research centre (like the Silicon Valley) focusing on research, science and high-tech startups, sustainable technologies, and creative industries.

"This would attract entrepreneurs, investors, create jobs, and drive economic growth for the city. New Zealand is a country of innovators, and I would love to see Tauranga be the centre of excellence for innovation."

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.