Rotorua mayor pregnant, first to give birth while in mayoral office

Rotorua mayor Tania Tapsell has announced that she's pregnant with a baby girl due in June, becoming the first to give birth while holding a mayoral office in Aotearoa.

Tapsell shared the news on her Facebook page on Friday, saying she felt "blessed twice" to be taking up the roles of both mayor and mother.

"I’ll take a short one-month break on maternity leave, and then my supportive husband Kanin will take over from there to allow me to resume my important duties as mayor.

"I feel like I’ve been blessed twice to be taking up the roles of both mayor and mother.

"We’re so excited to be expanding our family and are grateful for the support of my council team and the Rotorua community," she wrote.

Tapsell, 30, was elected as Rotorua’s mayor in last year's local elections.

She is the first wahine Māori to hold the role.

Deputy mayor Sandra Kai Fong will be acting mayor during Tapsell's maternity leave.