Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern during her post-cabinet press conference at Parliament last week. Photo/Mark Mitchell
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern during her post-cabinet press conference at Parliament last week. Photo/Mark Mitchell
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will make her first official visit to Tauranga as Prime Minister on Wednesday.
Her office confirmed that, while she has visited other Bay of Plenty centres since taking office, this will be her first time in Tauranga since the election campaign last year.
Ardern was scheduled to make an education funding announcement at Otumoetai College at 12.30pm.
Next, she will head to Baycourt for an event aimed at inspiring entrepreneurialism in young Māori. The event is part of the Groundswell Festival of Innovation, which kicked off today.
Finally, Ardern was booked to make an opening address at the New Zealand Avocado International Industry Conference at ASB Baypark in the afternoon.
Groundswell Festival organiser Lindsay Faris said she was thrilled to have the Prime Minister coming to the festival, which was in its second year.
Two hundred and fifty students were coming from all over the North Island for the one-day Ko Maui Hangarau session the Prime Minister will attend.
The aim of the event - which will also feature a host of top Māori technologists, innovators and entrepreneurs - was to inspire rangatahi (youth) to feel that the ability to innovate was ingrained in their DNA, she said.
People at an event held during last year's Groundswell Festival of Innovation. Photo supplied/Richard Robinson Photography
Faris said Ardern would do a question and answer session with students, after which some students would have an opportunity to have a chat with the Prime Minister.
Tech experts from Google and Tesla will also be in Tauranga this week as speakers at the festival, which will run through to September 2.
Ten events have already sold out but tickets were still available for others in the programme, including some free ones.
In one event, a collection of artists and architects have been competing for the opportunity to take over a drab Grey St laneway and fill it with art, culture and personality.
The three-day installation will be in place from Thursday and open 11am to 2pm.
The festival was led by Priority One.
Meanwhile, the avocado industry conference was being held for the first time since 2013.
The three-day event will encompass the NZ Avocado Growers' Association Incorporated annual general meeting as well as addresses from experts in horticulture and business.
