Local Focus: Rotorua candidate wants to create a political culture of respect and honour

More engagement with Rotorua's young people is candidate Alan Tane Solomon's number one reason for standing for council.

"We need to be doing more. There's a lot of young people and the school system is not working for them."

In his video interview with Local Focus, Solomon said the time is right for some councillors to step aside.

"Let the new, fresh, innovative, future-thinking candidates come through."

The public needs to do its bit too, he said.

"We've been to a few meetings and they should be full. People should be coming to see what we've got to offer and what we'd like to see in our city but there's a disconnect – people don't care."

But it's a culture of honour that is most important to Solomon, who has a work background in military, journalism and social organising.

"Listen to the people and treat each other with respect and trust," Solomon said.

Made with funding from