Olympian Mahé Drysdale enters Tauranga's mayoralty race

11:20 am on 19 May 2024
New Zealand rowing legend Mahe Drysdale.

Olympic rower Mahé Drysdale is contesting this year's Tauranga mayoral election. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Olympic rower Mahé Drysdale is putting his hat in the ring to become Tauranga's next mayor.

A commissioner has been running the city for three years, because of a dysfunctional council.

But there will be a return to locally-elected city leaders when elections are held on 20 July.

Drysdale said he would bring accounting and financial management to the job.

He said he was determined to efficiently manage the challenging situation the council faces due to rising interest rates and costs.

Other nominations for mayor so far are singer Ria Hall, former deputy mayor Tina Salisbury and resident Chudleigh Haggett.

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