Tuesday 25 September 2007

2007 Representation Commission

New Electorate Boundaries Finalised

New boundaries for the country’s 63 general and seven Māori electorates have been finalised – with a completely new electorate named Botany created in Auckland.

The 2007 Representation Commission has completed its statutory role of reviewing and redrawing electorate boundaries to be used in the next two general elections.

“We received 331 objections and 114 counter objections to the proposed electorate boundaries released in early May,” says Judge Bernard Kendall, Chair of the Representation Commission. “This feedback and submissions made at hearings in seven centres around the country have helped shape the final boundaries to be used in the general elections scheduled for 2008 and 2011.”

- Seven electorates have had no change to their boundaries.
- Nine electorates have new names.
- Macrons have been applied to 11 electorate names to assist with correct Māori pronunciation.

No Boundary Changes in Seven Electorates

Five general electorates - Whangarei, North Shore, Northcote, Tauranga, Kaikōura and two Māori electorates - Te Tai Tokerau and Waiariki retain the same boundaries used in the 2002 and 2005 general elections.

One Additional Electorate

An additional general electorate named Botany is being created in the south of Auckland. The Botany electorate comprises much of the Botany Community Board areas including the proposed new town centre of Flat Bush. It replaces parts of the former Clevedon and Manukau East electorates and includes the Cockle Bay area from the Pakuranga electorate.

New Names for Another Nine Electorates

The existing electorates of Clevedon, Port Waikato, Piako, Ohariu-Belmont, Banks Peninsula, Rakaia, Otago, Aoraki and Tainui are being replaced with new electorates with new names.

1. Papakura – replaces parts of the Clevedon, Port Waikato and Manurewa electorates. The Papakura electorate is centred on the Papakura urban area and includes Kingseat and Clarks Beach to the west. To the north it includes the suburbs of Wattle Downs, Mahia Park, and the suburbs of Manurewa East and The Gardens to the east of the motorway.

2. Hunua – replaces parts of the Clevedon and the existing Port Waikato electorates including the towns of Clevedon, Maraetai, Tuakau, Pukekohe, Waiuku and up to Manukau Heads.

3. Waikato – replaces parts of the Piako, Coromandel, Hamilton West and Taranaki King Country electorates. The Piako electorate disappears.

4. Ōhariu - replaces Ohariu-Belmont with the Belmont area shifted into the Rimutaka electorate.

5. Selwyn – replaces parts of the Waimakariri, Banks Peninsula and Rakaia electorates.

6. Port Hills – is the new name for the revised Banks Peninsula electorate with most of the peninsula area itself transferred to Selwyn.

7. Rangitata – replaces parts of the Aoraki and Rakaia electorates. It includes Timaru City, Temuka, Orari and Ashburton up to the Rakaia River. Pleasant Point and its immediate surrounds are included in this electorate. The Rakaia electorate disappears.

8. Waitaki - replaces parts of the Otago and Aoraki electorates. The Waitaki electorate includes all of the Waitaki, Central Otago and Mackenzie Districts as well as the northern portion of Queenstown Lakes District around Wanaka and a portion of the Timaru District (excluding Timaru City) around Paeroa and Geraldine. The Aoraki and Otago electorates disappear.

9. Hauraki-Waikato – replaces the Tainui electorate and includes population from the Tāmaki Makaurau electorate from the southern part of Manurewa. The people from Ngati Maniapoto (formerly in the Tainui electorate) will be in the Te Tai Hauāuru electorate with the people of Ngati Raukawa.

“Following the objection and counter-objection process a number of proposed Auckland electorate boundaries have been significantly redrawn. The new electorate created in Auckland is called Botany – not Howick as proposed,” says Judge Kendall.

“There was objection to splitting the Timaru District Council between the two electorates of Waitaki and Rangitata. The Timaru District was not able to be placed in one electorate, however the Pleasant Point area has been kept with Timaru City in the Rangitata electorate to retain its principal community of interest.

“In the East Coast electorate, there was objection to including parts of the Gisborne District Council in the Napier electorate. The Cook Ward of the council has been retained in the East Coast electorate,” says Judge Kendall.

“In the West Coast Tasman electorate there was objection to including Wakefield in this electorate. Wakefield could not be included in the Nelson electorate, however Brightwater will remain in the Nelson electorate.

“The Commission was able to meet the majority of objections focused on the electorates around Christchurch, with the result that the electorates there become primarily urban,” says Judge Kendall.

The Representation Commission is due to reconvene again in 2012 (after the next scheduled population Census and Māori Electoral Option) to review and redraw electorate boundaries.

A summary of the changes, maps of the new boundaries and the Commission’s report can be viewed at www.elections.org.nz

ENDS

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