As local body election candidates hit the campaign trail Tauranga residents are being urged to take a hard line and put pressure on candidates and local politicians to tackle income inequality.

Around 70 people gathered last night at a meeting organised by Tauranga's Closing the Gap to hear ‘Inequality: A New Zealand Crisis' author and editor Max Rashbrooke and local political leaders discuss the region's inequality.

Western Bay Mayor Ross Paterson and Mayor Stuart Crosby attended a meeting on inequality last night.

Last week Max said an atlas of socioeconomic deprivation produced by University of Otago researchers reveals stark divides, particularly between the Western and Eastern Bay of Plenty.

Research, analysed from the 2006 Census data, shows the Eastern Bay are among the most deprived in New Zealand.

Max focused on the impact inequality has on society last night saying issues include growing divisions within communities, declining trust and social cohesion and sharply lower social mobility.

In less equal societies, children from poorer families are far less likely to be able to escape poverty that their better off schoolmates, says Mark. He also adds inequality harms economies.

'Large amounts of spare cash at the top creates bubbles.”

Local political leaders – Tauranga Mayor Stuart Crosby, Western Bay Mayor Ross Paterson and Bay of Plenty Regional Council chairman John Cronin – were pressed on a range of issues including where they stand on ensuring council staff are paid a living wage.

Meeting organiser Peter Malcolm says the response to the question is somewhat disappointing with Mayor Crosby telling the audience the introduction of a living wage is not up to him but the city's chief executive Gary Poole, who has no plans to do so.

'But the local leaders did say lobbying and pressure from the community makes a difference,” says Peter.

'Which puts the onus on us [the people of Tauranga] to demand more of the people we elect.”

Tauranga Closing the Gap encourages Bay of Plenty residents to contact their current elected representatives as well as those standing for office urging them to make a start toward closing the gap.

'A living wage for all, including council workers, would be a powerful step forward.”