Hei taone whakawhāiti

Tauranga is a city that celebrates our past, is connected in our present and invested in our future.  Where people of all ages, beliefs, abilities and backgrounds are included and feel safe, connected and healthy.

Tauranga Mataraunui -where kotahitanga describes unity or oneness, inclusivity means we value diversity, of race, gender, class, generation etc…This would describe ‘Mataraunui’ the many diverse faces of Tauranga are respected and acknowledged, providing equal opportunity for Tauranga Tangata to engage actively, contribute and benefit.

Success looks like

• We have connected, engaged and resilient communities that thrive.
• Our city centre is full of energy, possibility and opportunity.
• Our unique history and culture is well known and highly valued.
• Our city is accessible and enables healthy living and recreation to support improved wellbeing.
• Our city is equitable where resources are prioritised so that everyone has the chance to flourish.
•  Communities are connected within neighbourhoods and have a sense of belonging to the city as a whole.
• People feel safe in their communities and when moving around the city.

Together these elements will result in a city that is proud of its history and culture, a city where everyone has an opportunity to thrive and where everyone feels welcome, connected and heard.

Council will contribute by

• Addressing housing needs, including affordability, and supporting healthy communities.
• Transforming the city centre into a place where people want to live, work, learn, do business and visit.
• Reinforcing the cultural foundations provided by mana whenua, recognising and celebrating diversity, and providing equitable access to involvement and participation in city life.
• Delivering and facilitating cultural experiences that showcase our history and heritage.
• Eliminating barriers in the physical environments of our city, providing accessible information, and increasing people’s city-wide accessibility.
• Building a city of connected and liveable neighbourhoods by providing local solutions in places of need and working with others to do the same.
• Collaborating widely to create safer communities, strengthening community resilience in times of emergency, and supporting water safety messages and responses.

Our Council goals 

Council plays an active role in promoting and influencing social inclusiveness, however, there is currently no adopted Council strategy specific to this community outcome. 

An Inclusive City Strategy could include the following Council goals to reflect recent Long Term Plan decisions and some of the work that Council is already doing in this space:

• To ensure the planning and development of our city incorporates the fundamental principles of inclusiveness including safety, equity, accessibility, diversity and responsiveness. 
• To connect, partner and collaborate with our community to build relationships, and support building capacity and capability where it is needed the most.  
• To work in partnership with tangata whenua and our community to actively reflect Tauranga’s culture and history throughout the city.   
• To support and enable a wide range of events, activities and programmes that provide something for everyone, connect communities and support health and wellbeing.
• To move away from a ‘one size fits all’ approach to one that recognises the diversity of our communities, particularly through our communications and engagement practices.

Council’s key moves now to 2031

How our approaches support an inclusive city