Election 2014: Former MP looking on bright side

Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick. Photo / File

Though her former Labour Party colleagues suffered a "trouncing" on Saturday, Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick said she was looking forward to working with the region's three MPs.

"It was a real trouncing for Labour, which did make me sad - they're really going to have to work hard to win New Zealand back," she said.

"As an ex-Labour MP I did wonder where the Labour vote went. It's a lesson to totally rebuild."

Mrs Chadwick said it was the strangest election she had witnessed.

"Especially the strange coupling of Kim Dotcom and Mana.

"But I did think John Key and his team were respectfully nervous.

"Tamati and his team did work exceptionally hard and Rotorua is a hard nut to crack.

"He had a young team and I hope he gets a chance to rebuild. I admire anyone who stands in politics."

But, she said, she worked well with local MP Todd McClay and Waiariki MP Te Ururoa Flavell and knew the district's new list MP Fletcher Tabuteau.

"The perspective that Fletcher will bring in for the region with regard to forestry and exports will be very good for Rotorua.

"We have a lot of work to do with our eastern corridor, exports and doing more with wood."

She said having three MPs would be good for the region, especially if Mr McClay held onto the position of Associate Tourism Minister.

"But, we really do need to do something urgently about inequality - which is resoundingly a sad story of Rotorua."