Local Focus: Potaua Biasiny-Tule on Candidate Camera

Watch the full Local Focus interview for Biasiny-Tule's views on the region's biggest issues, and our less important quickfire questions.

Community has bigger dreams than council, says a candidate for Rotorua Lakes Council's new Māori ward.

"The council is doing its best but the community has greater dreams," said Potaua Biasiny-Tule.

Biasiny-Tule is the founder and a trustee of Digital Natives Academy in Rotorua, and a Māori digital entrepreneur. He says local issues are complex but the solutions are simple.

"Let's get the community to come together."

On co-governance, Biasiny-Tule said Aotearoa New Zealand should have had shared governance to begin with.

"I think it's about equity and equality, recognition of our mana, and our tino rangatiratanga in these lands. Especially as mana whenua."

Biasiny-Tule's main issue is local housing issues and he says council needs to play a lead role.

"It's the planning and it's the co-designing with the community, that needs to be focused on.

"There has to be a bridge, some sort of navigation and support system, to allow everyone to work together."

On a more personal note, Biasiny-Tule has just finished reading Blue Blood, about the National Party, and he has a broad range of favourite music genres.

"Hip hop all day. I'm down with R&B. A bit of Drum & Bass with the bros. A bit of EDM. R&B, classics, karaoke and reggae, and kapa haka. That's all the genres I guess."

Another mayoral candidate chose to not be interviewed by Local Focus.