Local body elections are happening across New Zealand again, and this year several mayoral seats are free for a new leader.
Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick is one of mayors to be stepping down at the election, after nine years in the role.
"I think I had 12 years in central government, and this will be my lot of nine years here. That's a lot of public-facing service. But I still love it. Even though I know there are people very polarised about where we're going, I'm actually proud of what we've done," she told Checkpoint.
She said she is heartened by the amount of interest in the community for someone new to take up the mayoralty.
And if Chadwick were to write a job advertisement for it?
"Community service on steroids. Love it. You see sides of the community that the public doesn't see. And you see one good thing happening and you go, 'Yeah! That's why I stood'.
"You see more of that than you do the negative stuff.
"Anybody that's got the skills and also the staying power, and a bit of strategy, can build a great team around them, and certainly get stuff done locally. I've loved being a mayor."
But Chadwick said she has had her fair share of the role.
"I do believe in renewal... I think it's time to stand back and let someone else go through. I'd rather make the decision that it's time to go... and support new people that are interested."
She said the hours could be about 80 a week.
"If you're going to run for mayor, it's a weekend job as well as a week job. I start at seven in the morning and it goes 12 hours a day.
"That's the way I work, but I've learned to delegate so much more… You don't have to do those hours. My family laughs that I go to the opening of an envelope. But I go because I love the community and I see people there."
She acknowledged however that those she has talked to who do have vision, strategy and governance skills would not do it for the pay you get and the hours you work.
Chadwick believes mayors and councillors should get paid more.
"And you can say that when you're going. If you say it it's the kiss of death along the journey. But I do think you do need to be remunerated better.
"I think about the level of a backbencher… I dropped salary to come in here but I did it because I was ready for it."
The stress of social media is another big factor turning many skilled people off such roles, Chadwick said.
"Absolute hatred, bullying, and what we've learned about attacks on woman MPs, we sure get it as women mayors. A lot of bullying, a lot of online intimidation."
Chadwick has had a lot of threats. "But I'm a bit of a tough old bird because I've been around a long time. I had the same when in government sponsoring the smokefree environment bill. I learned to get really tough then.
"But I believed in doing the right thing at the right time and I still do in local government. Call them out."
She said being a mayor is harder than being a government minister.
"You can't run anywhere. I used to love going down to Wellington because that was three days where I could immerse myself in policy, in the direction of where the country's going. As a mayor it's every day, including the weekend.
"And you're public property. Ask my kids, they don't like coming out with me because people come up and they moan about the grass verges, the trees that haven't been trimmed."
New Zealand's voting at local body elections is poor, with about 40 percent turnout on average across the country.
"I don't think they [the public] find what we're doing is relevant, and we've got to make it relevant in their lives," Chadwick said.
