[10] Tapsell marched with students during the School Strike for Climate in 2019,[11] however she believes farmers should be excluded from the Zero Carbon Act.
[14] At the 2020 general election, National failed to retain the seat, losing to Labour MP Kiri Allan.
[19] Tapsell campaigned on stopping the spend, combating crime and vandalism, and restoring the city's image as a tourist destination.
[21] In her first year as Mayor, Tapsell turned around a $5.6 million deficit and adopted an Annual Plan that stopped unnecessary spending and made investment in critical infrastructure a priority.
[26] By late July 2024, Tapsell had credited her policies with achieving a 60% reduction in emergency housing motels.
[28] As Mayor of Rotorua, Tapsell invested NZ$1 million in various anti-crime measures including CCTV cameras, increasing the Police presence on streets and a community hub that combined the resources of Police, the Lakes Council, Māori Wardens, private security and community safety volunteers.
[31] In early September 2024, Tapsell and a majority of her fellow councillors voted to hold a binding referendum on its three-member Māori ward during the 2025 New Zealand local elections.
The submissions policy was criticised by Councillors Robert Lee, Conan O'Brien and Don Patterson on free speech grounds.
[33] In mid July 2024, Tapsell expressed concerns that a Council proposal to introduce public forums "could be weaponised or used by people to have a rant."
When Maxwell asked why the motions had been declined, Tapsell refused to discuss the matter and insisted that it was outside council business.
[35][36] In late August 2024, Tapsell signed a friendship agreement between Rotorua and Taiwan's Pingtung County's Magistrate Chou Chun-mi.
[39][40] Her iwi are Te Arawa and Ngāti Whakaue, and she has Danish ancestry as a descendent of Phillip Tapsell.