Growth and economy on table at Rotorua election breakfast

From left Richard Gillies, Green, Todd McClay, National, Fletcher Tabuteau, NZ First, Ben Sandford, Labour and Te Ururoa Flavell, Maori at the Chamber of Commerce political panel. Photo/Ben Fraser

Rotorua's growth, economy and taxes were up for discussion at the city's latest political Q&A session.

This morning's Rotorua Chamber of Commerce election panel breakfast attracted about 80 people to Rydges Rotorua to hear from the candidates.

There were speakers from five parties - National's Todd McClay, New Zealand First's Fletcher Tabuteau, Labour's Ben Sandford, the Green Party's Richard Gillies and Maori Party's Te Ururoa Flavell.

Rotorua Maori Party candidate Wendy Biddle and Waiariki Labour candidate Tamati Coffey were also there but didn't speak due to their parties already being represented.

Candidates were asked how their party would support growth in Rotorua.

Mr McClay said Rotorua was in a period of unprecedented growth which created lots of opportunity.

He said National had already announced money to go into roading and make roads safer.

If elected he said he would make Te Ngae Rd a four lane road within the next three years.

Mr Sandford said he wanted to make sure everyone could share in that growth.

"It's about creating a fair society, not a two-speed economy," he said.

Labour plans to change the funding process for roading to bring more money to the regions, make Rotorua the centre for forestry and regionalise the skills shortage list.

Mr Gillies said his party's priority was investment in clean energy and clean infrastructure.

"Our priorities are climate change, a carbon neutral economy, water quality and ending poverty," he said.

From left Todd McClay, National, Ben Sandford, Labour, Fletcher Tabuteau, NZ First, Richard Gillies, Green, and Te Ururoa Flavell, Maori. Photo/Ben Fraser

Mr Tabuteau said the country's GDP growth per capita was in the negatives with the removal of immigration.

"With technology and infrastructure we can make growth happen," he said.

NZ First hoped to facilitate the movement of big business into the regions.

Mr Flavell said he wanted to lift the Maori contribution to our economy.

"We will focus on employment, education and our rangitahi or young people," he said.

He said it was great to see some businesses had already got on board with a bilingual Rotorua.

Taxes divided the panel of candidates with Mr McClay saying certainty was what was needed.

National offered a family tax package as part of the latest budget and Mr McClay said that would raise 55,000 families out of poverty.

"Without adding more taxes we can do the same again over the next three years," he said.

Mr Sandford rebutted the statements about certainty as he laid out the already announced tax changes.

He said Labour would set up a tax working group within its first year.

Labour have already announced plans to remove secondary tax and extend the bright line test to five years.

Mr Gillies said their focus was on ecological taxes, or a polluter pays system.

They are the only party who have announced a comprehensive capital gains tax, with the exception of the family home.

"It is a start to closing that large tax hole," Mr Gillies said.

He said the Green Party also wanted to remove the fringe benefit tax from electric vehicles.

Mr Tabuteau said NZ First were committed to making one of the biggest tax moves.

"We want to take the GST that is spent by tourists and put that back into the region it was spent in," he said.

"That's $60m per annum coming back to Rotorua."

NZ First plan on increasing the minimum wage to $20 per hour and incentivising uptake of the export tax rate.

Mr Flavell said his party's influence on tax wasn't as big as he'd like and its focus was on inequality and poverty.

"We want to see a bigger distribution of wealth, to help those that need a hand up," he said.

The Maori Party hope to eliminate poverty in New Zealand and install a universal living wage.

Mediator John McRae, the Chamber president, said it was important to see what each party would do specifically for Rotorua, not just nationally.

"I had a quick chat to a couple of people and it has confirmed for some who they're going to vote for," he said.

"Speaking for myself and not the Chamber, we need to see business policy that has certainty, but also simplicity."

Tonight's planned Meet the Candidate evening in Rotorua hosted by Sport BOP has been cancelled due to low registration numbers.