New Conservative co-leader Helen Houghton recently moved from Christchurch to Tauranga to run in the by-election.
She decided to move in order to "make a difference in the community" and said the fact that she's not a local "is not a negative as far as I can see".
When it comes to understanding the issues Tauranga residents face on a daily basis, Houghton said it doesn't take much to see what the issues are.
"You don't have to be a local," she said.
In this Local Focus interview, Houghton shares her views on the big issues of transport, crime, the cost of living and what makes her MP material.
