Rotorua's biggest issue: What the candidates say

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This week, the Rotorua Daily Post asked the region's candidates about the number one issue in their electorate and how they would solve it:

Labour Party Rotorua candidate Tamati Coffey:

Child poverty.

Unemployment is low, yet families are still doing it tough. Living costs are rising, wages aren't. Labour's policies will help all Kiwi families get ahead. We'll raise the minimum wage to $16.25 in our first year and save Kiwis around $300 annually with "NZ Power". We'll get rental houses insulated and heated and make doctor visits and prescriptions free for under-13s and over-65s, and for expectant mums. We'll give a $60 weekly payment to all new mums and extend paid parental leave. Tackling this will be my personal crusade.

New Zealand First Rotorua candidate Fletcher Tabuteau:

The most important issue for Rotorua is growing our regional economy.
It has been overlooked by the Government and not all of us are enjoying the benefits of the so-called "rock star" economy. As part of our regional growth strategy we must stop selling our assets and, in fact, we must start buying them back. Approximately 70 per cent of our forests are foreign owned. Infrastructure, macroeconomic policy, incentives and support for business, including tourism, will be the critical components of the New Zealand First strategy going forward. This will create jobs for all and wealth in our region.

Labour Party Waiariki candidate Rawiri Waititi:

Jobs are the most important issue for Waiariki.
The current National-led Government supported by the Maori Party has ignored the potential for growth in the Waiariki. We recognise this potential and have the policies that will create better skilled, fair and well-paid jobs. Our Regional Economic Development policy will create thousands of jobs in our regions by working alongside community organisations, hapu and iwi to achieve this. We will put another $80 per week in the pockets of those who are on the minimum wage and our Forest and Woods Product Policy will ensure we keep jobs here in Waiariki.

Act Party Rotorua candidate Lyall Russell:

Continual economic prosperity is the key issue for the district.
With a stronger and stable economy there will be more jobs, higher wages and greater economic growth which builds a community that everyone feels a part of. Act will achieve this by cutting taxes for both individuals and businesses. Success will come from our plan to cut the company tax rate from 28 per cent to 20 per cent next year, then, over a series of stages, down to 12.5 per cent by 2020. And by taking a stronger stance on burglary by stopping 110,000 burglaries over the next three years by extending three strikes to burglars, we will create a more prosperous and safer community for all.

Waiariki Maori Party MP Te Ururoa Flavell:

Recent polls of the electorate have told us that the biggest issue in Waiariki and indeed across the other Maori electorates is family violence and its impact on whanau, tamariki, rangatahi and wahine. The Maori Party believes that whanau are the key to preventing family violence. To support that, we will introduce direct resourcing to expand E Tu Whanau and Pasifika Proud programmes, invest funding in frontline services at Women's Refuges throughout the country, push the Government to state that family violence is a priority, and request that two ministers share responsibility for this. Alongside these, we will ensure Whanau Ora is a priority for the next government.

Rotorua National Party MP Todd McClay:

There are many issues I will continue to work on if re-elected as Rotorua's MP.
A priority will be ensuring young people and families have the support they need to get ahead. This includes continuing to improve educational achievement and on the job training with the Rotorua Education Initiative, the Rotorua Trades Academy, and Maori Trades Training places. Health will be a priority, which is why I've announced the creation of the Rotorua Child Health Centre of Excellence. This is a $6million investment to improve health for every child in Rotorua. I remain committed to supporting Rotorua families and ensuring our children have access to the healthcare they deserve.

Mana Movement Waiariki candidate Annette Sykes:

Poverty is the biggest cause of many negative outcomes including violence in the home, the rising cost of living and home ownership, that it continues to hamper our progress as Maori. The focus of the Mana Movement is the elimination of poverty and all of our policies are designed to achieve that goal. They include "Feeding our Kids", providing home loans with zero deposit and low interest rates, making the minimum wage a living wage, and taxing the rich to put towards policies that are intended to help the poor. A vote for Annette Sykes and Internet-Mana is a vote supporting the end of poverty.

Conservative candidate Michael Davidson and New Zealand Independent Coalition candidate Pat Spellman did not respond.