Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell begins second term with fist bump

Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell and Rotorua Lakes Council chief executive Andrew Moraes share a fist bump at the swearing-in ceremony for the new term on Wednesday. Photo / Mathew Nash

Tania Tapsell’s second term as Rotorua Mayor has officially begun, after being sworn in at Rotorua Lakes Council’s inaugural meeting for the new term.

Tapsell won the mayoralty in a landslide this month, with a margin of nearly 9500 votes over nearest challenger Don Paterson.

Following a morning pohiri (welcome ceremony) on Wednesday, chief executive Andrew Moraes declared the meeting open, with an empty council table before him.

All elected members were sworn in before taking their seats at the council table for the first time this triennium.

After Tapsell declared her oath, she and Moraes shared a fist bump.

“It’s so fantastic to be returning as Mayor,” Tapsell said in her inaugural address.

“To do this is an honour, not only for myself, but also for my family.”

Tapsell’s partner and parents were present, alongside friends and family of other councillors, council staff and some regional councillors. Outgoing councillor Conan O’Brien was also in attendance.

Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell flanked by Rotorua Lakes Council chief executive Andrew Moraes (left) and strategy, governance and compliance manager Greg Kieck at the swearing-in ceremony for the new term on Wednesday. Photo / Mathew Nash

Tapsell used her address to remind elected officials how “privileged” they are.

“What I will guarantee you is this council and our community board members will do all we can to be a high-performing council and to ensure we leave this world, this community, in a better place for everybody in our district,” Tapsell said.

She paid tribute to incoming councillors, community board members and council staff.

Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell and councillor Robert Lee shake hands. Photo / Mathew Nash

Of re-elected councillor Robert Lee, whom she publicly hoped would not get back in during the campaign, she praised his “passionate and faithful” support of the community.

“It’s great to have you on board and I look forward to working collaboratively with you,” Tapsell said.

Rotorua Lakes Council chief executive Andrew Moraes and councillor Te Rika Temara-Benfell at the swearing-in ceremony for the new term on Wednesday. Photo / Mathew Nash

Newcomers Ben Sandford and Te Rika Temara-Benfell were sworn in for the first time while Merepeka Raukawa-Tait, back after a one-term absence, returned to the table.

Trevor Maxwell’s swearing-in was greeted with a haka from the public gallery, as he entered his record-setting 49th year as a councillor, making him New Zealand’s longest-ever serving councillor.

Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell and councillor Trevor Maxwell. Photo / Mathew Nash

All other council and community board members also took their oaths, except for rural community board member Colin Guyton, who sent apologies for his absence.

Sandra Kai Fong was confirmed as deputy mayor for a second successive term.

“I am very confident I have the best deputy mayor in the country, and we’re going to have a great triennium,” Tapsell said of her number two.

After the swearing-in concluded, the meeting moved on to official business including legislative advice for the incoming council, adoption of the schedule of meetings for November and December and adoption of the 2024-25 Annual Report.

The council will meet again at the penultimate council meeting of 2025 on November 26.

Mathew Nash is a Local Democracy Reporting journalist based at the Rotorua Daily Post. He has previously written for SunLive, been a regular contributor to RNZ and was a football reporter in the UK for eight years.

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