Watch the full Local Focus interview for Jacinta Fraser's views on the region's biggest issues, and our less important quickfire questions.
Helping businesses retain staff is the biggest challenge facing Palmerston North according to Jacinta Fraser, and she is sceptical that poor pay is the reason workers are staying away.
"They're saying the pay's not enough, I don't think that's the issue. I think that housing is probably a big thing," she said.
Fraser says she has a background in social work and social policy, and expressed concern about the lack of rentals. She is employed as a rental property manager.
"A lot of the people in emergency housing at the moment, a lot of them are working people."
