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Koromatua o Tauranga

Mayor of Tauranga

Mahé Drysdale was elected to be the Mayor of Tauranga after the 2024 local body elections. 

About Mayor Mahé Drysdale

Mayor Mahé Drysdale

As Mayor of Tauranga, Mahé’s vision is to see Tauranga fulfil its potential, so it becomes known as New Zealand’s best city. 

Our city’s population is growing, so he is focused on delivering the infrastructure and facilities that the Tauranga community needs and wants, while ensuring that every ratepayer dollar is spent smartly and efficiently.

Financial acumen

Mahé brings experience in accounting and financial management to the governance table having worked in investment and advisory roles for both Hobson Wealth and Forsyth Barr Limited. He has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from University of Auckland in accounting and commercial law. He also completed a Graduate Diploma of Commerce in information technology. He worked in an accounting firm early in his career and is an ACA with Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand (CAANZ).

Sporting achievements

Mahé is a two-time Olympic Champion in 2012 and 2016 in the single scull and won the World Championship five times, so knows what it takes to set and achieve ambitious goals on the global stage.

Mahé was Flag Bearer and Team Captain of the New Zealand Olympic Team at the 2008 Games. He was the Supreme Halberg Award Winner in 2006 and winner of the Sportsman of the Year at the Halberg Awards 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2016. He was inducted as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (M.N.Z.M) in 2009. 

Since retiring from professional sport, Mahé has been a mentor and leader.  He has been a strong advocate for elite athletes as a co-Chair of the Athletes Co-operative, which has sought to improve terms and conditions of elite athletes with High Performance Sport New Zealand. 

A long-standing connection to Tauranga

Mahé was raised in Tauranga, attending Tauranga Primary School, Tauranga Intermediate and Tauranga Boys' College before heading to Auckland for his sixth form and then direct to University in Auckland. He took up the sport of rowing at university – he went on to have a very successful 22-year career in the sport.

His grandfather, the late Sir Robert Owens, served as Mayor of Tauranga (1968-1977) and Mount Maunganui (1971-1974).

He is married to Juliette and has three children.

Mahé welcomes the opportunity to be involved in the community and for people to share their views. 

How to contact the mayor

Correspondence for the Mayor of Tauranga

Email mayor@tauranga.govt.nz if you have any general correspondence for the Mayor of Tauranga.

Media queries for the Mayor of Tauranga

Email communications@tauranga.govt.nz if you have a media query for the Mayor of Tauranga.

Follow the mayor on social media

Post a letter to the mayor

Mayor Mahé Drysdale
Private Bag 12022
Tauranga 3143

Invite the mayor to an event

Email maree.king@tauranga.govt.nz if you would like to invite the mayor to an event.

In your invitation, please describe the event, including:

  • Event name 
  • Date and time of event
  • Location 
  • An idea of who will be attending.
  • Duration of the event
  • Desired duration of the mayor’s attendance
  • Whether you would like the mayor to give a speech – if so, what you would like him to talk about and how long you would like the speech to be? (three to five minutes is the average length of a speech).

The mayor’s Executive Assistant will check his availability. If the mayor is not available, the mayor’s office may suggest that the invitation be extended to another Tauranga City Council elected representative.

For enquiries, please contact us on 07 577 7011.

For general council enquiries contact Tauranga City Council.

Watch Mayor Drysdale's video marking one-year in the job

News

Pāpāmoa East Interchange – eastbound off-ramp opens for public use

Tauranga City Council is pleased to announce the partial opening of the Pāpāmoa East Interchange tomorrow (Tuesday, 26 August), enabling use of the eastbound off-ramp for motorists.

The new off-ramp will provide access to Pāpāmoa East from the Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road, while construction of the wider interchange continues before it fully opens next year.

Mayor Mahé Drysdale says the off-ramp is opening nine months ahead of schedule which is a fantastic result and a great example of councils and central government working together for the benefit of the community.

“Together, we achieved a great, pragmatic outcome for the people of Tauranga, and I thank everyone for saying ‘yes’ and getting this done,” says Mahé. 

Pāpāmoa Ward Councillor Steve Morris agrees having the off-ramp open from tomorrow is a win for the local community. 

“Use of the off-ramp will have an immediate and positive impact on traffic flows along the Domain Road and Tara Road interchange. This will be felt by all Pāpāmoa residents and allow everyone to get to their destination quicker.”

Councillor Morris emphasises that use of the off-ramp is through an active construction site which means it comes with restrictions on speed and a duty of extra care on drivers. 

From 26 August, drivers who want to access Pāpāmoa East can travel along State Highway 2 (the Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road) and exit via the Pāpāmoa East Interchange off-ramp. 

Signage will indicate a reduced speed of 50km/h when travelling through an active construction site. The journey continues via the western side of Te Okuroa Drive only – all other access points to/from the interchange remain closed until completion. 

The other three ramps will remain closed until completion. The eastbound on-ramp facilitates construction traffic and activity as part of ongoing interchange construction, and the westbound ramps are dependent on the completion of the bridge itself. 

Consultation on proposed tolling for the use of the Pāpāmoa East Interchange by project partner NZTA closes this Thursday, 28 August 2025. More information on the proposal and a link to the consultation is available at nzta.govt.nz/teltolling

As the off-ramp at the Pāpāmoa East Interchange is opening early, NZTA has proposed a toll-free period of 12 months, for users of the Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road between the Pāpāmoa East Interchange and the Domain Road Interchange. Normal tolls apply to drivers using the full Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road. 

To find out more about the Pāpāmoa East Interchange and partial opening, visit https://letstalk.tauranga.govt.nz/pei
 

Papamoa East Interchange - eastbound off-ramp

Posted: Aug 25, 2025,

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