The three men competing to become the Labour Party's next frontman each have their own leading ideas about how to help Tauranga grow into the future.

SunLive spoke to David Cunliffe, Shane Jones and Grant Robertson at The Wesley Centre where about 100 of Tauranga's Labour Party members gathered to hear from the potential leaders.

While it's clear all three men agree the first course of action needs to be unifying and strengthening a 'broken” Labour Party – when asked what they will do for Tauranga they have differing ideas.

Current deputy leader Grant, who arrived to the meeting more than an hour earlier than his opponents, believes affordable housing should be at the top of Tauranga's list.

'The housing issue is huge in Tauranga, everybody knows it's hard to buy a house here.

"Labour has a policy to build 100 affordable homes in the next 10 years and Tauranga is one of the areas we're targeting for that.

'So what we're saying is you can have the Kiwi dream and own your own home and live in Tauranga. Labour is committed to that.”

David, the only candidate not running for the first time, is focused on helping the region recover from PSA.

'We'll do everything we can to help the communities of Te Puke, Katikati and Tauranga recover from the PSA blight.

'The Bay of Plenty has often thought of itself as a favoured region and in the good books with the current Government. And it was good while the sun was shining, it's not so good now PSA has ravaged the kiwifruit.

'We're not going to be your fair-weather friends.”

He also has plans for development in agriculture – particularly in the Eastern Bay.

'We really want to help development in the region. I believe it would be a great thing if we could see our way to dredging the Opotiki Bar and opening that up for agricultural growth.”

Shane, who has been labelled as the underdog in the three-horse race, wants to focus on supporting and growing the region for its younger residents.

'Polytechnics have been starved, without a doubt the industry isn't being supported, you take the port and DHB away and there is not a lot of industry that's growing to meet the growing demands of young people.

'I think there is an enormous amount of potential in Tauranga but it needs the support of the Government. Tauranga is part of the regions and the regions have been overlooked and neglected.”

On Thursday night the three candidates each presented 10 minute speeches, selling why the party's members should elect them as their leader. This was followed by a closed question and answer session for members.

The Tauranga meeting marked the half-way point of the candidates' national tour. They are visiting 12 cities across New Zealand this month – only open to NZLP members and affiliated unions.

A preferential system is being used to find a winner, with members listing the candidates from one to three. To win a candidate has to get 50 per cent of the vote, plus one.

If a winner isn't clear from the first count, the least popular candidate drops off and the other two then battle it out. The result will finally be known on September 15.