Local Focus: Te Kira Lawrence on Candidate Camera

Watch the full Local Focus interview for Te Kira Lawrence's views on Napier's biggest issues, and our less important quickfire questions in which she admits supporting Labour and ACT.

Standing for Napier City Council's Onekawa/Tamatea Ward has always interested local office manager, Te Kira Lawrence. This year marks her first campaign.

Lawrence hopes to "be that person who's keeping it real, genuine, and just always open-minded" on council through her varied experiences as a mother, teacher, apartment technologist and beauty therapist.

Should she be elected, she will prioritise the Aquatic Centre and development of low-rise town housing and apartments.

One way NCC might slow down or limit climate change, Lawrence says, is by "supporting, encouraging and implementing more green areas" in the city.

Lawrence says the vulnerable community groups in Napier include children born into abusive households and Māori youth at risk of being coerced into gang activity.

"It's a scary thought knowing that there's children being brought into this world that didn't get a choice in having to face the abuse that they deal with, the neglect.

"From a council perspective, if we can have more centres and more facilities that young people can go to... just hang out... those are little steps that can improve some people's lives."

Lawrence said she hopes she can be a role model to youth as a hard-working member of society.