New electorate revealed, as raft of boundary changes announced prior to election 2020

New Zealand’s electorates are now set for the next two elections, with almost half either altering boundaries or changing names. 

The boundaries of 30 general and five Māori electorates have been changed, with a new electorate in South Auckland named, Takanini. 

Eleven electorates have had name changes. The changes mean the seven per cent of New Zealand will be in a different electorate come the election this year, scheduled for September 19. 

Name changes

• Whangarei becomes Whangārei
• Helensville becomes Kaipara ki Mahurangi
• Rodney becomes Whangaparāoa
• Manukau East becomes Panmure-Ōtāhuhu
• Flat Bush, the proposed name for the new electorate, becomes Takanini
• Hunua becomes Port Waikato
• Rimutaka becomes Remutaka
• Port Hills becomes Banks Peninsula
• Dunedin North becomes Dunedin
• Dunedin South becomes Taieri
• Clutha-Southland becomes Southland

Main boundary changes – North Island 

- Rodney, (now Whangaparāoa) includes Dairy Flat and Coatesville.
- Helensville, (Kaipara ki Mahurangi), extends into Northland, Whangaparāoa and Upper Harbour – and the Waitakere Ranges now go into New Lynn.
- Changes have been made to Mt Roskill, Maungakiekie, Manukau East and Manurewa for the new Takanini electorate.
- A part of Maungarei/Mount Wellington moves into Panmure-Ōtāhuhu.
- The new electorate of Takanini pulls in voters from Manurewa, Papakura, Wattle Downs and Takanini.
- Whangārei and Bay of Plenty also are adjusted. 

Main boundary changes – South Island 

- The area of Brightwater goes from Nelson to West-Coast Tasman.
- Selwyn loses Banks Peninsula to Port Hills (now named Banks Peninsula), and changes made to Ilam, Wigram, Banks Peninsula, Christchurch East and Rangitata.
- Alexandra and Clyde areas go from Waitaki to Clutha-Southland (now Southland).
- Otago Peninsula moves from Dunedin South (now Taieri) to Dunedin North (now Dunedin).
- South Otago added to Taieri from Southland.
- Invercargill expands into western Southland. 

Māori electorate changes

- Tāmaki Makaurau gets parts of Te Atatū South from Te Tai Tokerau and also takes area east of Manurewa and Waiheke Island from Hauraki-Waikato.
- Small changes between Ikaroa-Rāwhiti and Te Tai Tonga made in Naenae.

To view details of the electorate changes, click here.  

The electorate boundary review released its proposed changes to New Zealand’s electorates ahead of the 2020 election last November. 

At the beginning of this year, the commission received more than 300 complaints over the proposed changes

The objectors included the Labour Party, which companied about the boundary changes of Tāmaki Makaurau, Manukau East, Manurewa, Flat Bush, Christchurch East, Dunedin North and Invercargill and the ACT party that complained about the Epsom electorate, where its one MP and leader David Seymour holds. 

Chair of the Representation Commission Judge Craig Thompson said they had made no changes to 36 electorates. 

The boundaries were last reviewed in 2014, and the population of every electorate has increased.

SHARE ME

More Stories