Tania Tapsell Explained

Tania Tapsell
Office1:15th Mayor of Rotorua
Deputy1:Sandra Kai Fong
Term Start1:8 October 2022
Predecessor1:Steve Chadwick
Office2:Rotorua Lakes District councillor
Term Start2:12 October 2013
Term End2:8 October 2022
Party:National
Birth Date:22 September 1992
Birth Place:Rotorua, New Zealand
Spouse:Kanin Clancy
Relations:Peter Tapsell (great-uncle)
Alma Mater:University of Waikato

Tania Tapsell (born 22 September 1992)[1] is a New Zealand politician. She has served on the Rotorua Lakes District Council since 2013 and was elected mayor of Rotorua at the 2022 local elections. She is the first woman of Māori descent to hold the role.[2]

Early life

Tapsell was born and raised in Rotorua. She attended Rotorua Girls' High School but left at age 16 in order to attend Waiariki Institute of Technology, where she got diplomas in business and marketing.[3] [4] She achieved a Bachelor of Management Studies Degree from the University of Waikato, and is a qualified Resource Management Commissioner.[5]

Early political career

At age 14, Tapsell served on Rotorua's youth council. In 2010, she was selected by Todd McClay to represent the Rotorua electorate at the New Zealand Youth Parliament[3] and also represented New Zealand at a Young Leaders Conference in Taiwan.[6]

Rotorua District councillor, 2013 - 2022

In 2013, Tapsell was elected to the Rotorua Lakes District Council[3] and served as Chairperson of the Council's Operations and Monitoring Committee. At 21, she was the youngest councillor ever elected,[4] until the election of 19 year old Fisher Wang in 2019.[7] In 2016 and 2019 she was re-elected as the highest polling candidate.[8]

She voted against the adoption of Māori wards in 2021, arguing that while some councils may need them to ensure representation, Rotorua did not.[9]

Tapsell marched with students during the School Strike for Climate in 2019,[10] however she believes farmers should be excluded from the Zero Carbon Act.[11]

Tapsell has also served as Deputy Chairperson of the New Zealand Community Boards Executive Committee.[12]

National Party candidacy

On 6 June 2020, Tapsell was selected as the National Party candidate for the East Coast electorate,[13] having been a member of the party since she was a teen.[14] At the 2020 general election, National failed to retain the seat, losing to Labour MP Kiri Allan.[15] She expressed interest in running again at the 2023 New Zealand general election.[16] She was speculated by the media as a possible candidate in the 2022 Tauranga by-election,[17] but declined.[18]

Mayor of Rotorua, 2022 - present

On 10 May 2022, Tapsell announced that she would run for mayor of Rotorua.[1] Tapsell announced she would name fellow Councillor Sandra Kai Fong as deputy mayor if both are elected to the council in the October local election.[19] Tapsell campaigned on stopping the spend, combating crime and vandalism, and restoring the city's image as a tourist destination.[1]

On 8 October 2022, Tapsell was elected as Mayor, becoming the first Māori woman to be elected as Mayor of Rotorua. She defeated fellow mayoral candidate Ben Sandford by almost 3,300 votes. She and her fellow councillors were sworn into office on 22 October.[20]

In September 2023, Tapsell was recognized in The New Zealand Herald feature on the 130th anniversary of Women’s Suffrage as one of the most influential women in today’s society.[21]

Housing and infrastructure

In her first year as Mayor, Tapsell turned around a $5.6 million deficit and adopted an Annual Plan that stopped unnecessary spending and made investment in critical infrastructure a priority.[22] To help solve issues in the Rotorua community, Tapsell delivered an exit plan from emergency housing by signing a Rotorua Housing Accord with Central Government which reduced the use of Rotorua motels for emergency housing by around half and ensured more homes were being built for locals.[23] Within a month of being elected, Tapsell put forward a motion to reverse a decision of the previous Council to revoke the reserve status of seven Rotorua reserve sites for development. This was supported unanimously by the Council.[24]

In August 2023, following community feedback, Tapsell and Councillors also voted to restore and reopen the Rotorua Museum – Te Whare Taonga o Te Arawa.[25]

In July 2024, Tapsell supported the Sixth National Government's new housing growth plan as a means of addressing the housing shortage.[26] By late July 2024, Tapsell had credited her policies with achieving a 60% reduction in emergency housing motels. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development also confirmed that it intended to stop referring people to emergency housing in Rotorua by July 2024.[27]

Law and order

To address community safety concerns in Rotorua, Tapsell advocated for an Inner City Community Safety Hub and officially opened this in November 2023 in partnership with Police.[28]

As Mayor of Rotorua, Tapsell invested NZ$1 million in various anti-crime measures including CCTV cameras, increasing the Police presence on streets and a community hub that combined the resources of Police, the Lakes Council, Māori Wardens, private security and community safety volunteers.[29]

Financial management

On 1 November 2024, the Rotorua Lakes Council's 2024 Annual Report gave the council a stable outlook, with an AA- credit rating and an operating surplus of $2.2 million.[30]

Māori wards

In late February 2023, Tapsell and a majority of the Rotorua Lakes Councillors voted to withdraw their support from the proposed Rotorua Lakes Council local bill, which would have increased the number of Māori wards on the Council.[31]

In early September 2024, Tapsell and a majority of her fellow councillors voted to hold a binding referendum on its three-member Māori ward during the 2025 New Zealand local elections. While Tapsell had voted against the introduction of Māori wards in 2021, she said that "they shouldn't be forcibly removed due to a Government. I believe in local decision-making and am happy to support retaining them."[32]

Community engagement

In mid February 2023, Tapsell and the majority of the Rotorua Lakes Council voted to progress a submissions policy that would allow the Council to reject public submissions that were deemed offensive, discriminatory or contained personal threats. Tapsell said that there had been a significant increase in offensive submissions. The submissions policy was criticised by Councillors Robert Lee, Conan O'Brien and Don Patterson on free speech grounds. In response, the New Zealand Free Speech Union warned that it would take legal action against the Council.[33]

In mid July 2024, Tapsell expressed concerns that a Council proposal to introduce public forums "could be weaponised or used by people to have a rant." Councillor Robert Lee had proposed establishing public forums during a June 2024 meeting with the Council asking Lakes Council chief executive Andrew Moraes to conduct research on the idea. Since 2000, the Lakes Council had never hosted public forums. By contrast, 85% of local councils have hosted public forums.[34]

International issues

In late July 2024, Tapsell attracted media attention after blocking Councillor Trevor Maxwell from asking why two notices of motions including one by Councillor Lani Kereopa calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Both motions had been declined because Lake Council staff had deemed them not to be council business. When Maxwell asked why the motions had been declined, Tapsell refused to discuss the matter and insisted that it was outside council business. Maxwell expressed disappointment. The exchange was filmed and posted on Instagram. Following the incident, Tapsell defended her response and reiterated her commitment to "delivering" for the community.[35] [36]

In late August 2024, Tapsell signed a friendship agreement between Rotorua and Taiwan's Pingtung County's Magistrate Chou Chun-mi.[37]

Personal life

Tapsell married Kanin Clancy on 1 December 2020.[38] With him she has a stepson named Kaiarahi. On 10 March 2023, Tapsell announced that they were expecting a baby girl in June. On 2 June she gave birth to Kahumoa at Rotorua Hospital, making her the second mayor in New Zealand to give birth while in office.[39] [40]

Her iwi are Te Arawa and Ngāti Whakaue, and she has Danish ancestry as a descendent of Phillip Tapsell.[41] [42] She is the great niece of former Labour MP and Speaker of the House Sir Peter Tapsell.[3]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Tania Tapsell to stand for mayor of Rotorua Lakes Council . 10 May 2022 . . . Felix . Desmarais. https://web.archive.org/web/20221022074446/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/tania-tapsell-to-stand-for-mayor-of-rotorua-lakes-council/QWCRET7MAPKVNXMLRTGUU5WZ3A/. 22 October 2022. live.
  2. News: Tania Tapsell elected Rotorua mayor . 24 March 2023 . Te Ao Māori News . . 8 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230221074236/https://www.teaomaori.news/tania-tapsell-elected-rotorua-mayor . 21 February 2023.
  3. Web site: Young face at the council table . 16 October 2013 . University of Waikato. https://web.archive.org/web/20221207031303/https://www.waikato.ac.nz/news-opinion/media/2013/young-face-at-the-council-table. 7 December 2022. live.
  4. News: Greg . Taipari. Te Maori: Another brick in success wall . 10 December 2013 . . . https://web.archive.org/web/20230421121008/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/lifestyle/te-maori-another-brick-in-success-wall/WXU3AZ6Z7XQIXHNKV2SZBLKX5Y/. 21 April 2023. live .
  5. Web site: 2022-06-17 . Certificate holders – local body elected members . 2024-01-17 . . en-GB . https://web.archive.org/web/20240901060047/https://environment.govt.nz/what-government-is-doing/areas-of-work/rma/about-the-making-good-decisions-programme-certification-for-rma-decision-makers/certificate-holders-local-body-elected-members/. 1 September 2024. live.
  6. Web site: 2024-02-16 . Island setting for green' lesson . 2024-02-16 . . . en-NZ. https://web.archive.org/web/20240216033529/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/island-setting-for-green-lesson/UX6CEKTU24CHUVTGEXLBPLB56E/. 16 February 2024. live.
  7. News: Benn . Bathgate . 19-year-old Rotorua councillor' stunned by election result . 12 October 2019 . Stuff . https://web.archive.org/web/20230421121006/https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/116526853/steve-chadwick-reelected-as-rotorua-mayor. 21 April 2023. live.
  8. News: Jessica . Tyson. Tapsell felt a moral obligation to step forward as National candidate . 8 June 2020 . Te Ao Māori News . . https://web.archive.org/web/20230422221438/https://www.teaomaori.news/tapsell-felt-moral-obligation-step-forward-national-candidate. 22 April 2023. live.
  9. News: Desmarais. Felix . Rotorua Lakes Council adopts Māori wards . 21 May 2021 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20230418010817/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/ldr/443091/rotorua-lakes-council-adopts-maori-wards. 18 April 2023. live.
  10. News: Zizi . Sparks . Rotorua students leave school to strike for climate change . 16 March 2019 . . . https://web.archive.org/web/20230422192739/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/rotorua-students-leave-school-to-strike-for-climate-change/NUR7MOX24S3OIWHWBXDURZKQ3Y/. 22 April 2023. live .
  11. News: Wynsley . Wrigley. Meet the candidates . 20 August 2020 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20230418010819/https://www.gisborneherald.co.nz/local-news/20200820/meet-the-candidates-2/. 18 April 2023. live.
  12. News: 16 February 2024 . Local councillor's national role . 2024-02-16 . . . en-NZ . https://web.archive.org/web/20240216032024/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/rotorua-lakes-councillor-tania-tapsell-appointed-deputy-of-national-committee/J3VBKOLPJOYPRNAGV2FKOKFFVM/. 16 February 2024. live.
  13. Web site: Tania Tapsell National's new candidate for East Coast . 6 June 2020 . New Zealand National Party . https://web.archive.org/web/20240720193138/https://www.national.org.nz/tania_tapsell_nationals_new_candidate_for_east_coast. 20 July 2024. live.
  14. Web site: Alex . Braae . The youngest in the room: Meet National's 28-year-old East Coast candidate . 16 August 2020 . The Spinoff . https://web.archive.org/web/20240619041402/https://thespinoff.co.nz/atea/16-08-2020/the-youngest-in-the-room-meet-nationals-28-year-old-east-coast-candidate. 19 June 2024. live.
  15. Web site: Election 2020: National's Tania Tapsell loses East Coast electorate . 17 October 2020 . Rotorua Daily Post . New Zealand Herald . Zizi . Sparks . https://web.archive.org/web/20230421121016/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/election-2020-nationals-tania-tapsell-loses-east-coast-electorate/AJK6OLNX3OAWNJHCTU7YOZBPQA/. 21 April 2023. live.
  16. Web site: Bells ring for Tapsell campaign close . 21 October 2020 . Waatea News. https://web.archive.org/web/20230421131326/https://waateanews.com/2020/10/21/bells-ring-for-tapsell-campaign-close/. 21 April 2023. live.
  17. News: Bryce . Edwards . Behind Simon Bridges' shock departure, and what comes next . 16 March 2022 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20240305042021/https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/300542571/behind-simon-bridges-shock-departure-and-what-comes-next. 5 March 2024. live.
  18. News: Dan . Sheridan . 'It won't be me': Tapsell rules herself out of Tauranga race . 5 April 2022 . Stuff. https://web.archive.org/web/20231020120259/https://www.stuff.co.nz/bay-of-plenty/128273332/it-wont-be-me-tapsell-rules-herself-out-of-tauranga-race. 20 October 2023. live.
  19. News: Tania Tapsell launches Rotorua mayoral bid, saying city needs to get back on track fast . Stuff . 1 August 2022 . 6 August 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20230214084332/https://www.stuff.co.nz/bay-of-plenty/129444917/tania-tapsell-launches-rotorua-mayoral-bid-saying-city-needs-to-get-back-on-track-fast. 14 February 2023.
  20. News: New Rotorua mayor Tania Tapsell sworn into role at inaugural meeting . 24 March 2023 . . 21 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221102121326/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/ldr/477139/new-rotorua-mayor-tania-tapsell-sworn-into-role-at-inaugural-meeting . 2 November 2022. live.
  21. News: 19 September 2023 . Suffrage 130: 30 NZ women we admire . 2024-02-16 . . en-NZ . https://web.archive.org/web/20240822160851/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/suffrage-130-30-new-zealand-women-we-admire/2FYWLCX4KVGYRGMI4D63HDE26M/. 22 August 2024. subscription.
  22. Web site: Annual Plan reflects feedback and investment to support the community . 16 February 2024 . Rotorua Lakes Council. 28 June 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240524205943/https://www.rotorualakescouncil.nz/our-council/news/news?item=id:2ml6qagsp1cxby3ycbsw. 24 May 2024. live.
  23. Web site: Building a better housing and urban future for Rotorua, together . 16 February 2024. www.beehive.govt.nz . . en . https://web.archive.org/web/20240526233911/https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/building-better-housing-and-urban-future-rotorua-together. 26 May 2024. live.
  24. Web site: 10 November 2022 . Council reverses decision to revoke reserve status of Rotorua sites . 16 February 2024. . en-nz . https://web.archive.org/web/20240419062419/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/ldr/478465/council-reverses-decision-to-revoke-reserve-status-of-rotorua-sites. 19 April 2024. live.
  25. Web site: 2024-02-16 . Rotorua council decides fate of iconic museum building . 16 February 2024 . . . en-NZ . https://web.archive.org/web/20240822225135/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/rotorua-museum-council-votes-to-restore-and-re-open-te-whare-taonga-o-te-arawa/OU4LRZ6PHBGHXJ6RKMSJYRSNOU/. 22 August 2024. live.
  26. News: Smith . Laura . Rotorua mayor Tania Tapsell welcomes government housing growth plan . 4 November 2024 . Te Ao Māori News . . 8 July 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240724133123/https://www.teaonews.co.nz/2024/07/08/rotorua-mayor-tania-tapsell-welcomes-new-government-housing-growth-plan/ . 24 July 2024.
  27. News: "We care about this place": How Rotorua turned itself around . 4 November 2024 . . 26 July 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240727020012/https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/kerre-woodham-mornings/audio/tania-tapsell-rotorua-mayor-on-the-turnaround-of-the-city-and-reduction-in-emergency-housing/ . 27 July 2024.
  28. Web site: Inner City Community Safety Hub up and running – Rotorua Lakes Council . 2024-02-16 . Rotorua Lakes Council. 20 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240529180050/https://www.rotorualakescouncil.nz/our-council/news/news?item=id:2o6o1fh6p1cxby650mtn. 29 May 2024. live .
  29. News: $1m investment pays off with sharp drop in crime in Rotorua - mayor . 4 November 2024 . . 21 June 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240710115844/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/520242/1m-investment-pays-off-with-sharp-drop-in-crime-in-rotorua-mayor . 10 July 2024. live.
  30. News: Smith . Laura . Rotorua Lakes Council approves annual report detailing finances, wins and non-achievements . 5 November 2024 . . . 1 November 2024.
  31. News: Smith . Laura. 'Done and dusted': controversial Rotorua representation bill confirmed as scrapped . 5 November 2024 . . 1 March 2023. en-NZ . https://web.archive.org/web/20231002130653/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/rotorua-councils-representation-bill-confirmed-as-scrapped/HEXB777QVFH2DB2QPQL3KT5FIE/. 2 October 2023. live.
  32. News: Smith . Laura . Rotorua Lakes Council to hold binding Māori ward poll at 2025 election . 5 November 2024 . . 2 September 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240910202348/https://www.waikatotimes.co.nz/nz-news/350400709/rotorua-lakes-council-hold-binding-maori-ward-poll-2025-election . 10 September 2024. live.
  33. News: Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell pushes back on submissions saga amid legal threat . 25 March 2023 . . 11 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230214014340/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/rotorua-mayor-tania-tapsell-pushes-back-on-submissions-saga-amid-a-legal-threat/YDZRVI7GFNEHHMKQMCGQ3B2ZJE/ . 14 February 2023. live.
  34. News: Smith . Laura . Public forums could be 'weaponised' – Mayor . 4 November 2024 . . 23 July 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240803004250/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/ldr/522885/public-forums-could-be-weaponised-mayor . 3 August 2024. live.
  35. News: Perese . Daniel . Te Wake . Whatiri . Rotorua mayor and councillor’s dispute goes viral but what happened? . 4 November 2024 . Te Ao Māori News . . 31 July 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240802041013/https://www.teaonews.co.nz/2024/07/31/rotorua-mayor-and-councillors-dispute-goes-viral-but-what-happened/ . 2 August 2024.
  36. News: Smith . Laura . Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell faces backlash for ‘shut down’ of veteran councillor Trevor Maxwell . 4 November 2024 . . 1 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240806183048/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/rotorua-mayor-tania-tapsell-faces-backlash-for-shut-down-of-councillor-trevor-maxwell/SJYL4W67TJDUTGXK36DTMQSWJY/ . 6 August 2024. live.
  37. Web site: Thomson . Jono . Rotorua forges new links with Taiwan . Asia Media Centre . . 4 November 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240918103841/https://www.asiamediacentre.org.nz/rotorua-forges-new-links-with-taiwan . 18 September 2024 . 28 August 2024 . live.
  38. News: Kelly . Makiha. Rotorua district councillor Tania Tapsell weds Kanin Clancy in secret mountain-top wedding . 5 June 2021 . . The New Zealand Herald. https://web.archive.org/web/20231205034611/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/rotorua-district-councillor-tania-tapsell-weds-kanin-clancy-in-secret-mountain-top-wedding/GPTLGVAIAN2U3PNHR4RVYOIOGA/. 5 December 2023. subscription.
  39. News: Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell pregnant with baby girl . 10 March 2023 . . Caitlin . Rawling. https://web.archive.org/web/20230320120424/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/lifestyle/2023/03/rotorua-mayor-tania-tapsell-pregnant-with-baby-girl.html. 20 March 2023. live.
  40. News: Laura . Smith . Rotorua mayor Tania Tapsell delivers baby girl and announces unique name . 8 June 2023 . . . https://web.archive.org/web/20231101043536/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/rotorua-mayor-tania-tapsell-delivers-baby-girl-announces-unique-name/BT4OHLJO4JD75LXLTUJI5HCTKI/. 1 November 2023. live.
  41. News: Gavin . Ogden . Local Focus: Who is Tania Tapsell, National candidate for East Coast? . 29 September 2020 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20240704114955/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/kahu/local-focus-who-is-tania-tapsell-national-candidate-for-east-coast/RJZHY27J5QGMPF3SJM5FJWTKME/. 4 July 2024. live.
  42. Web site: Tapsell whanau's Danish story revealed . 6 May 2021 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20230422061510/https://waateanews.com/2021/05/06/tapsell-whanaus-danish-story-revealed/. 22 April 2023. live.

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