Local body elections are under way and eight hopefuls are vying for the Western Bay of Plenty’s top job. Local Democracy Reporting quizzed the mayoral candidates about key issues ahead of the October 11 election. We will publish those stories over the coming days.

Quick Bio

Name: Margaret Murray-Benge

Age: 83

Resides: Bethlehem

Profession: Teacher, 48 years in local government, current councillor

Political party affiliations: National Party member

Family: Partner and three children

Margaret Murray-Benge would work to get rid of the regional council if she were Western Bay of Plenty’s mayor.

Her long-term goal for the district was to create an environment where people can afford to live and be proud of, she said.

“People matter and they’ve got to be able to afford to live here.”

To do this she said she would work closely with Tauranga City Council and start “pruning down and making slimline decisions”.

This meant getting rid of the regional council, the SmartGrowth partnership and Western Bay of Plenty’s economic development agency Priority One, said Murray-Benge.

It would also mean working closely with the Government to help fund infrastructure, she said.

Her priorities were having an open-door policy as mayor, ensuring the contract for the new chief executive was written so councillors – not staff – were in control, and keeping rates affordable by “carving back” the council’s bureaucracy.

It was important to put people before politics, Murray-Benge said.

“They’re the ones paying the bills.”

The current system was too bureaucratic with layer upon layer of decision-making, she said.

“We’ve got to simplify things so people can get on with their lives and do what they want to do.”

A nice-to-have on her agenda would be to do the reforms, including water reform, as quickly as possible, Murray-Benge said.

“It’s the cost of SmartGrowth, the cost of the regional council. You’ve got bureaucracies galore, but you’ve got to streamline them.”

Murray-Benge said amalgamation with other councils should be worked towards if it could save money for everybody.

Margaret Murray-Benge wants a commitment from the Government to build roads and state highways as part of a regional deal. Photo / NZTA Waka Kotahi

The council worked with Tauranga City Council “quite closely” now but if they were to take on the regional council’s functions, they would need to work together even more, she said.

“We don’t need to join at the hip, but we do need to join hands and see how we can work together to make this area cheaper and better for everyone.”

The number one thing she wanted included in a regional deal was a commitment from the Government to provide roads and state highways to enable housing development.

“We can’t do anything unless you’ve got decent roading networks.

“It’s a combination of how to get people moving and how to create subdivisions where people can flourish.”

Murray-Benge said she had never supported Māori wards.

“I think it’s patronising to local Māori, they’re quite capable of being elected.

“I’m equal to anyone I meet and they’re equal to me. Going down a separate path is undemocratic. It’s no better than apartheid, and we have to get over it.

“There are plenty of Māori in central government. There is no excuse as to why we do not have Māori in local government of their own right.”

Voting is open until midday on October 11.

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