Could Rotorua end up with four MPs?

From left: Todd McClay, Fletcher Tabuteau, Tamati Coffey, Te Ururoa Flavell.

Rotorua could have four sitting MPs, one more than the current three, if current polling plays out at this month's general election.

Based on Newshub's latest Reid Research poll, and provided Maori Party candidate Te Ururoa Flavell retains the Waiariki Maori electorate seat, the district will gain two list MPs on top of the Maori and general electorate seat MPs after September 23.

The district's business community welcomed the news, but one social service provider said she would only be happy if it meant more local providers would be used to help with the city's social problems.

Waiariki contender Tamati Coffey is high enough on Labour's list at 35 that even if he loses to Flavell, the latest poll would see him in with a seat.

New Zealand First candidate Fletcher Tabuteau was also high enough up the party list at number four that he would gain a seat according to the latest poll.

Even if National's Todd McClay lost his Rotorua electorate seat he would still be in Parliament as he is 14th on National's party list.

Mr McClay said he wasn't thinking about how many MPs Rotorua might get as he was instead focusing on "getting every vote he could for National over the next 18 days".

The Waiariki Maori electorate incumbent Te Ururoa Flavell said Rotorua residents would benefit from the increased representation.

"If you're in the governing arrangement it's far easier to implement things on behalf of your constituents."

Working across party lines was crucial, Mr Flavell said, and he had shown he could do that with Mr McClay in the past.

NZ First's Fletcher Tabuteau echoed Flavell.

"I always offer my assistance to Todd if there's anything I could do, and vice-versa. I think it'll be much of the same."

New blood could help put pressure on existing MPs and hold them to account as well, Mr Tabuteau said.

"I think another MP on the heels of the incumbent does put some pressure on them to put some pressure to make sure he or she is delivering."

"If I'm back, than that's what I'll do. I'll work with whoever wins where I can, and put pressure on them where appropriate."

Tamati Coffey said voters wanted collaboration for the good of the region.

"It does put us in a strong position, but it is up to those MPs representing our city to do something and to do something bold, not just tinkering around the edges."

Alison Lawton, CEO of the Rotorua Commerce Chamber said four MPS representing Rotorua in Wellington would be "fantastic".

"One of the business models that has been really successful in our city is co-operating to compete," she said, citing tourism as an example.

"If our MPs can co-operate to compete that's great for our city."

Growth and infrastructure were key areas she'd like to see the MPs unite on, for example lobbying for funding for a new airport route.

Rotorua charity Love Soup's Gina Peiffer said she wanted to see local MPs show more faith in local organisations when it came to addressing social issues, particularly around housing.

"Love Soup's been here for three years, we created the wraparound services, so why don't any of the organisations use us."

She thought other organisations had failed in places where Love Soup would not have because it didn't understand Rotorua in the same way.

"It's like people have done a shortcut version of that and because they've worked in other cities it's like they can roll into Rotorua and set up shop and it doesn't work like that."

She wanted MPs to do - not just listen.

Mayor Steve Chadwick said as Rotorua's population grew, the council needed more central Government support to address local issues like housing, and for infrastructure like roading and wastewater.

She would work with any MP to achieve this.

"Having another MP advocating on behalf of Rotorua could only be a good thing."

Candidates

Rotorua electorate

Wendy Biddle (Maori Party)

Rachel Clark
(Independent)

Richard Gillies (Green Party)

Todd McClay (National)

Owen Patterson (Conservative)

Ben Sandford (Labour)

Fletcher Tabuteau (New Zealand First)

Waiariki electorate

Tamati Coffey (Labour)

Te Ururoa Flavell (Maori Party)