Thursday 3 May 2007

2007 Representation Commission

Changes Proposed To Electorate Boundaries

Proposed new electorate boundaries for the next two elections have been released – with 61 electorates facing changes and the creation of an additional General electorate in Auckland named Howick.

The 2007 Representation Commission is also proposing new names for seven electorates.

Members of the public and organisations now have until 5 June 2007 to review the proposed boundaries and make objections.

“The Representation Commission’s role is to review electorate boundaries to ensure the population in each is broadly the same,” says Judge Bernard Kendall, Representation Commission Chairperson.

“In general, boundaries have been adjusted to reflect the strong growth in population in Auckland and the slower growth in population in the central North Island and the lower part of the South Island. Where possible we have tried to retain existing electorate boundaries and avoid splitting small communities.”

No Boundary Changes in Eight Electorates
The Representation Commission is proposing to keep the boundaries of eight electorates exactly the same. They are the Whangarei, North Shore, Northcote, Tauranga, Kaikoura, Ilam, Te Tai Tokerau and Waiariki electorates.

One Additional Electorate
Population growth of the North Island relative to the South Island means one extra General electorate is needed – taking the total number of General and Maori electorates to 70.

An additional General electorate named Howick is proposed for Auckland. The Howick electorate would include parts of the existing Pakuranga, Manukau East and Clevedon electorates.

New Names for Another Seven Electorates
New names have been proposed for another seven electorates, to better reflect the coverage of the proposed electorates.

The seven electorates with proposed new names are:

 Papakura – to replace parts of the Clevedon and Manurewa electorates. The Papakura electorate to be centred on Papakura and to include the Ardmore and Redhill parts of the existing Clevedon electorate and Weymouth Road south from the Manurewa electorate.

 Hunua – to replace parts of the Clevedon and Port Waikato electorates. Hunua to include Pukekohe, Waiuku and an area up to Manukau Heads.

 Ohariu to replace Ohariu-Belmont – with the Belmont area shifted into the Rimutaka electorate.

 Selwyn - comprises a portion of the Waimakariri electorate around Bishopdale, parts of the Banks Peninsula electorate around Oaklands and Halswell and that part of the old Rakaia electorate north of the Rakaia River.

 Rangitata – to replace parts of the Aoraki and Rakaia electorates. Rangitata to be centred on Ashburton and to include Temuka and Timaru.

 Waitaki - to replace parts of the Otago and Aoraki electorates. The Waitaki electorate to include Waitaki, Waimate and McKenzie Districts and a portion of the Timaru District.

 Pare Hauraki-Pare Waikato – to replace Tainui. This electorate to include population from the Tamaki Makaurau electorate from the southern part of Manurewa. It is proposed the people from Ngati Maniapoto from Tainui be included in Te Tai Hauauru to join the people of Ngati Raukawa

The existing electorates of Clevedon, Port Waikato, Rakaia, Aoraki, Otago and Tainui are proposed to be replaced by the above electorates.

More detail on all the proposed changes is available from www.elections.org.nz and in the summary and full reports of the Representation Commission (from 11am).

“The proposed electorate boundaries are now available for the public to comment on,” says Judge Kendall. “People can make objections and counter objections and the Commission will take these into account before deciding on final boundaries.”

Objections close on Tuesday 5 June 2007.

“Any objections should be based on the statutory criteria the Commission must use,” says Judge Kendall. “This means that it’s important that people read the reasons for the proposed boundary changes before they make an objection.”

The Commission will summarise the objections and make them publicly available. Members of the public can make counter objections between 14 and 28 June and the Commission will conduct public hearings in July. Final boundaries will be announced on 26 September 2007.

The proposed boundaries can be viewed online at www.elections.org.nz, libraries, Registrar of Electors’ offices, council offices or council service centres, Te Puni Kokiri regional offices, Maori Land Court offices and Runanga offices.

ENDS

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