Local Focus: Ryan Gray on Candidate Camera

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

Rotorua's housing crisis is general ward candidate Ryan Gray's biggest concern ahead of the local body elections.

Previous councils have failed to provide for growth, he said.

"We need to partner with developers and land owners to ensure the infrastructure is set up and ready to go."

On co-governance, Gray said "Māori was here long before the coloniser was and I think it's important that we take the best of their knowledge and our knowledge and actually work together for the benefit of all".

When asked for his stance on Three Waters, Gray said "there are some parts that are good and some that are not so good".

When it comes to issues that stem from Rotorua's emergency housing, Gray said the best thing to do would be to "build more homes and do away with the need for emergency housing in the first place".

And on a personal note, Gray admitted his music tastes used to be "bogan" but he now likes house, hip-hop and indie. And his favourite Rotorua restaurant is El Mexicano Zapata Cantina.

Other candidates chose to not be interviewed by Local Focus.

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