'Failing leadership' or 'tried and true' is the election theme that emerged at the SunLive 93.4 MoreFM Mayoral Debate on Wednesday night.
Speaking to a format of opening and closing addresses, with questions from the public in between, the candidates each made it clear what the public will get if they are elected.

The six mayoral candidates each had to stump up to a cross section of the Tauranga community.

The six candidates can be divided into two camps: Stuart Crosby as incumbent seeking re-election for a third term, 30 year local government veteran Bill Faulkner and community driven character Hori Leaming, all showing support for the current direction of the Tauranga City Council.
In the other camp is TECT trustee and businessman Mark Groos, retired businessman John Robson and current councillor Murray Guy, who say that much of the current Tauranga City Council decision making is flawed, uneducated and divisive.
The Tauranga City Council has endured a demanding last term, through recession and in the face of continued rapid population growth. Its 2010 draft Ten Year Plan was labelled unsustainable by Audit New Zealand, although this is now in the past as it rates the council's 2009/10 annual report as 'excellent'.

At the SunLive 93.4 MoreFM debate, Stuart spoke to the economic development of the city and believes he is a 'tried and true' candidate.
"There is a lot happening already through our growth management strategy," says Stuart.
"An arm of that is our economic development strategy and within that strategy there is key stakeholders that are actively pursuing that.
"The council has a role in that from the very basic role of providing industrial and commercial land that has to be serviced with infrastructure and that is a key issue
"We have to support agencies such as Priority One that are out there actually doing it, but we also have to create a holistic environment for those people to want to come to Tauranga rather than anywhere else in New Zealand or rather than anywhere else in the world.
"A lot of work is happening and success is on its way."

Bill Faulkner also believes Tauranga is on the right track and is making some smart moves and progress with China and in particular city sister of 5.4 million people Yantai.
"Yantai is about to open a trade delegation office in Tauranga or Auckland and so we are working very hard on that," says Bill.
"We regard that as a breakthrough, and that coupled with the aquaculture venture in Opotiki, in which Tauranga will get all the processing, is a door that has taken 24 years to open and we finally cracked it."
Bringing a realist manner to the debate, Bill says this kind of economic development is critical, while continuing to champion prioritising spending on core infrastructure.
"Things are in good heart at city hall. There is no standing still with core infrastructure at Tauranga City, it's either forwards or backwards and I think with a well timed and balanced programme and with rates at a reasonable level, we can do that."

Hori Leaming, better known to many as Bay of Plenty Steamers number one fan, Hori BOP, showed consistent support throughout the debate for the economic policies of Bill and Stuart - although he believes what the city lacks is a downtown stadium.
"That's exactly why I stood for mayor to have the platform to try and promote bringing events and stadia all back to the CBD," says Hori.
"The CBD is tired, it has a good basis but it needs a lot of stuff built on it and the first thing I would do is try to bring a stadium back to the number two, number three field at The Domain. That would be a big big boost to this area and it would help people probably help attract a new hotel here."

The current pathway of the Tauranga City Council and its economic plans and processes are considered flawed by the candidates who see the current leadership as failing.
At the forefront of this standpoint is John Robson.
"I see a city divided. I see the old and the young at odds. I see the developers and the ratepayers at odds. I see the business community and the creative community at odds. And I see in that division, failed leadership and I think we need to bring the city together."
In answer to a question about coping with increasing homelessness at the SunLive and 93.4 MoreFM debate, John says the core to resolving the economic problem and that of the homeless is to elect new leaders with a focus on creating a wealthy city.
"Tauranga is actually a poor city. While it has enormous potential the truth is we are poorer than the average city. We are a city built on myths and until we create wealth in this city, homelessness will be forever with us.
"Create the wealth, then we build the facilities and then we deal with our homeless."

Mark Groos also believes a leadership change is needed at Tauranga City Council as its current leaders are failing to make informed decisions.
"When I got elected onto TECT I did not have a lot of interest in local politics and one of things I did was analyse the TECT grant to Baywave," says Mark.
"And when I looked at the business case I saw a lot of risks and then when I started analysing deeper I found the statements in the business case were in fact false.
"So TECT and the community had invested money into a facility based on a business case that was wrong.
"And then when I went to the council to get the actual accounts of Baywave, so I could compare what you said would happen with what actually happened and the council couldn't provide the accounts for Baywave.
"Now this really worries me. You can't manage a town if you don't know the accounts of your biggest assets.
"I'm getting involved because there is something wrong and I want to fix it."

Current councillor Murray Guy is standing for mayor because he believes the council is overspending on projects. At the SunLive and 93.4 MoreFM debate, Murray talked about improving council decision making to improve on value received on money spent. This is why Murray expressed his opposition to amalgamation with Western Bay of Plenty District Council.
"No way. I respect and value Western Bay of Plenty residents and why would I voiced on them over $400 million worth of debt and 17 per cent plus in rates increases," says Murray.
"I have watched the supercity process with some abhorrence because the only thing it seems to be achieving is a bigger salary scale and democracy being disenfranchised from the community.

The invited audience formed a cross section of the Tauranga community with senior citizens, high school students, businessmen, volunteers and workers all represented.
Their reception of the candidates was varied, with Hori Leaming once again receiving the most laughs, but as was the case at the Priority One Mayoral Debate, it was Stuart Crosby who appeared to hold the most favour in the audience. Bill Faulkner was also well received, but it was Stuart's calmness in the face of damning criticism from other candidates, and from some questions asked by the audience about the current status of the council, that appeared to win through.

Read reaction from the audience here.

View opening statement videos here.