Tauranga mayoral race: Hori BOP

Terry Leaming, aka Hori BOP, is running for the Tauranga mayoralty. Photo/John Borren

In July, the people of 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.

Terry Leaming is married with four children and calls himself a “jack of all trades, master of none”.

He is better known as Hori BOP, the unofficial mascot of the Bay of Plenty Steamers rugby team.

The 67-year-old has been painting his face blue and yellow for his mascot role for 20 years. This isn’t Leaming’s first mayoralty bid; he has run for both the Tauranga and Western Bay mayoralties in previous elections.

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

Unfortunately, market forces eventually sort out housing.

Until Kāinga Ora can sort itself out so it can sort out the housing crisis for the country, about the only thing local councils can do is put in quality local body regulations to stimulate growth and cutting through the red tape is a good start.

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

Stadium, stadium, stadium. For under $50 million, this city can get a fit-for-purpose boutique stadium built at Blake Park [in Mount Maunganui]. The Tauranga Domain is “damaged goods” … so let’s pivot and get on with it, then we can start attracting heaps of events and get this place pumping.

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?

Yes, many voices make balanced decisions.

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, water services and housing.

Stadium. A fit-for-purpose bus exchange opposite Baycourt Community and Arts Centre [in Tauranga’s CBD], similar to the bus station in Manukau City. Making Turret Rd to Welcome Bay four lanes which, in my opinion, is 20 years overdue. Oh, did I mention a stadium?

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