Labour Party candidate Tamati Coffey and newly-elected Mount Roskill MP Michael Wood spoke to Tauranga locals in Arataki this evening about the issues facing people both locally and nationally.
Mr Coffey is Labour's candidate for the Waiariki seat, currently held by Maori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell. Mr Wood was elected to represent Mount Roskill in a byelection in December after Phil Goff won the Auckland mayoralty.
Mr Coffey spoke to the Bay of Plenty Times before the meeting and said he wanted to speak on income inequality and the "desperation" felt by New Zealanders, including some in Tauranga, at the moment.
He visited Merivale Primary a few months ago and was astonished that staff members had been taking in families last year as affording housing in the area was diminishing.
"Families living on the bread line who can't afford to live in the houses that surround their school because they are being snapped up by investors that aren't necessary living in those houses. That puts real pressure on the local community," he said.
Mr Coffey said social issues like what was happening in Merivale had the potential to split the country.
Young people were also big on his agenda. He aimed to prevent more incidents like the gang issues which erupted in Whakatane on Tuesday, he said.
"Over 80,000 young people are not in education, employment or training in New Zealand.
"It's not good for our young people to be walking around and doing nothing. We need to shift the goal post to get young people enthusiastic and educated whether it is in a trade or going to university. They need to be motivated to turn their lives around.
"If we don't do anything, the risk is even higher. If people don't do well in education, they drop out. Then they have no education and end up in line at WINZ looking for a job.
"All you need is a few negative experiences to start getting somebody on a bad path. As we saw in Whakatane this week gangs are still a big issues, if we don't start inspiring some of these young people there are other people out there who will."
Mr Coffey said Maori were also over represented in "bad statistics".
"We are over represented in jail, have bad education outcomes, bad health and a lot of Maori will only rent in this housing market and that's not good. Things need to change."