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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

Council seeks feedback on city centre streets

The people of Tauranga are being invited to help shape the future of our city centre streets.

A public survey is open until 30 September, asking people to share their views on which streets should be prioritised for investment and how they can be made more welcoming, vibrant and easier to move around. 

Te Papa Ward Councillor Rod Taylor encourages everyone with an interest in the city centre to take part. 

“Our city is growing quickly and the decisions we make today will shape the streets we enjoy tomorrow,” he says. 

“We’re working hard to build a great city centre where people can easily live, work, learn and play. 

“Making our streets more inviting and accessible is a key part of that.” 

Council is especially keen to hear feedback on Hamilton, Harington, Spring, Wharf, Willow and Grey streets, as well as The Strand. 

Urban Centres Development Manager Emily McLean says some of these streets are 30 years old and no longer meeting the needs of a modern city centre.

“We need to make our streets more enjoyable places to spend time – as well as connecting people with all the exciting new developments taking shape in our city centre,” she says. 

“Community feedback is really important because it’s going to help guide these upgrades for the next 10 years or so.” 

Transport System Operations Manager Shawn Geard says he’s also keen to hear feedback on the city centre’s trial one-way street system and how to use the extra space beside the single lane. 

“We’re proposing to make the one-way street trial permanent because it will help people move more easily around the new civic area, Te Manawataki o Te Papa,” he says. 

“Depending on feedback, we can also explore one-way options for The Strand and Grey Street to create more space for dining, events and public life.” 

Tauranga City Council is seeking feedback through a survey on its Kōrero Mai - Let's Talk Tauranga webpage at https://letstalk.tauranga.govt.nz/projects/pave-the-way-for-our-city-centre-streets

The page includes other ways to provide feedback, including in-person at STEMFest on September 28.

Posted: Sep 1, 2025,

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