IN TOWN: Opposition leader Andrew Little outlines his vision for Tauranga and the Western Bay. PHOTO/ANDREW WARNER
It's an eye-squintingly bright morning in Tauranga, and Andrew Little is looking remarkably fresh for a bloke who spent much of the previous evening in a crowded downtown bar.
The opposition leader had braved questions from a packed and mostly elderly crowd at the Cornerstone Pub on Wednesday before wandering down to the Phoenix for another grilling, this time of a medium-rare scotch fillet.
Mr Little says he was pleased at the mostly positive attention he received in the street, despite competing with the climax of the cricket clash between New Zealand and South Africa.
Now, he must face a series of more focused questions about his vision for Tauranga and the reasons why people should vote for his party and new local candidates.
Mr Little is sitting in a Bay of Plenty Times boardroom and is being asked how he intends to help solve Tauranga's housing crisis.
Housing and homelessness
"We have to build more homes," he says. "Our signature policy is KiwiBuild, 100,000 homes over 10 years. Modular prefab design."
At the current rate of population growth New Zealand will need more than 300,000 new homes during that time, but Mr Little says the KiwiBuild homes will be additional to the ones already being built.
How many are earmarked for the Western Bay?
Mr Little cannot say, but does promise that the homes will be allocated by need.
He also says that property speculators will be taxed on capital gains if they sell within five years, instead of the current two, and that overseas investors will be forced to build new homes here instead of buying existing ones.
Immigration
A tide of immigrants is straining Tauranga's infrastructure and pushing house prices beyond the reach of many. Will Labour close the floodgates?
"I do think there are problems with immigration, and particularly work visas that aren't high-end," he says. "We can't just jam more people in year after year."
New Zealand gained 70,000 immigrants last year. Specifically, by how much does he intend to cut this back?
"Quite what the numbers are right now ... I don't have any," Mr Little says. "But it's time to tai ho for a moment."
The Bay of Plenty relies on overseas workers for seasonal agricultural work such as kiwifruit picking, but Mr Little says that won't be affected.
Health
Population growth is also straining the region's health services.
Mr Little claims that $1.7 billion worth of funding has been stripped out of health during the past six years, and says he has been struck by the number of Tauranga people who have expressed concern about mental health in particular.
"We're committed to restoring that funding," Mr Little says. "But it might take more than one term."
Crime
Tauranga's population has grown by the size of Te Puke in just two years, whereas the city's police numbers have been stagnant for five.
Labour has pledged to train an extra 1000 frontline officers, but hasn't said where they will go.
How many can Tauranga expect?
"They can't all go to Auckland," Mr Little says. "They'll be across the country. We're lacking police presence in communities and suburbs."
Again, Tauranga?
"The priority is community police."
Tax
Most of these promises require hard cash, and that raises the spectre of tax increases.
Mr Little says tax reform is needed, but insists there is no need for tax increases. He reckons there is enough in the kitty from ongoing surpluses.
"We can meet these commitments out of existing tax revenue," he says.
Labour's Tauranga and Bay of Plenty candidates
Local Labour candidates Jan Tinetti and Angela Warren-Clark face a tough general election in September, given this region's conservatism.
What are their chances of getting into Parliament?
"Their prospects of getting in will depend on the campaign locally," Mr Little says. "It's going to be a tough contest, but it will be a good one."
Might they get in as list MPs?
"As the list comes together we will work to get them into winnable spots."
Departure
It's time to go. We take a few photos on Cameron Rd and then it's time for Mr Little to head off to another presentation in Whangarei.
"We've crystallised our headline policies," Mr Little says, before he steps into the waiting black sedan.
"It's time to get the message out."