Kapiti (New Zealand electorate)

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Kapiti was a New Zealand parliamentary electorate, from 1972 to 1996. A bellwether electorate, it frequently changed between National and Labour.

Contents

Population centres

Since the 1969 election, the number of electorates in the South Island was fixed at 25, with continued faster population growth in the North Island leading to an increase in the number of general electorates. There were 84 electorates for the 1969 election, [1] and the 1972 electoral redistribution saw three additional general seats created for the North Island, bringing the total number of electorates to 87. [2] Together with increased urbanisation in Christchurch and Nelson, the changes proved very disruptive to existing electorates. [2] In the South Island, three electorates were abolished, and three electorates were newly created. [3] In the North Island, five electorates were abolished, two electorates were recreated, and six electorates were newly created (including Kapiti). [4]

The main population centres in the electorate were Paraparaumu, Otaki, Raumati Beach, Raumati South and Waikanae, north of Wellington on the Kāpiti Coast. [5] The 1977 electoral redistribution saw the electorate move south, and Otaki and Waikanae transferred to the newly created Horowhenua electorate. [6] Waikanae came back to the Kapiti electorate through the 1987 electoral redistribution. [7]

In 1996 with the introduction of mixed-member proportional (MMP) representation, Paraparaumu south of the airport and Raumati went into the Mana electorate, while Waikanae and the rest of Paraparaumu went into the Ōtaki electorate.

History

The electorate changed between National and Labour several times. National's Allan McCready had represented the Otaki electorate since 1960 and when Otaki was abolished in 1972 and the Manawatu electorate moved towards the south and included the town of Levin, McCready transferred to Manawatu. [8] [9] Frank O'Flynn of the Labour Party won the 1972 election against National's Barry Brill, but Brill in turn defeated Flynn in 1975. [10] Brill served until 1981 when he was beaten by Labour's Margaret Shields. [11] Shields had initially been declared the winner of the 1978 election but she lost by 83 votes on a magisterial recount. [12]

Shields was defeated by National's Roger Sowry in the 1990 election. [12] [13]

The Kapiti electorate was abolished in 1996, and most of its area went to the re-established Otaki electorate. Sowry stood for Otaki, was defeated by Labour's Judy Keall, but remained in Parliament as a list MP. [13]

Members of Parliament

Key

  Labour   National

ElectionWinner
1972 election Frank O'Flynn
1975 election Barry Brill
1978 election
1981 election Margaret Shields
1984 election
1987 election
1990 election Roger Sowry
1993 election
(Electorate abolished in 1996, see Otaki and Mana)

Election results

1993 election

1993 general election: Kapiti [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
National Roger Sowry 9,241 38.83 -9.94
Labour Rob Calder8,20334.47
Alliance Mike Smith4,18217.57
NZ First David Craig Stevenson1,4316.01
Christian Heritage John Halsted5062.12
McGillicuddy Serious Anthony Church1530.64
Natural Law Barbara Stumbles780.32
Majority1,0384.36-2.56
Turnout 23,79488.96+0.42
Registered electors 26,745

1990 election

1990 general election: Kapiti [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
National Roger Sowry 11,262 48.77 +6.96
Labour Margaret Shields 9,66341.84-12.66
NewLabour Robert Hawke1,2195.27
Democrats L F Manning4331.87
McGillicuddy Serious S Buchanan3191.38
Social Credit K R Squire1950.84
Majority1,5996.92
Turnout 23,09188.54-2.39
Registered electors 26,079

1987 election

1987 general election: Kapiti [16]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Margaret Shields 11,854 54.50 +4.12
National Roger Sowry 9,09441.81
Democrats R E Carpenter6563.01
McGillicuddy Serious P. Consuela Gunn1430.65
Majority2,76012.69-7.80
Turnout 21,74790.93-3.11
Registered electors 23,914

1984 election

1984 general election: Kapiti [16]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Margaret Shields 11,098 50.38 +5.93
National June Oakley6,58429.89
NZ Party Robin Harris3,71216.85
Social Credit L F Manning6322.86
Majority4,51420.49+18.18
Turnout 22,02694.04+1.65
Registered electors 23,420

1981 election

1981 general election: Kapiti [16]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Margaret Shields 9,491 44.45 +1.47
National Barry Brill 8,99642.13-0.97
Social Credit Don Briggs2,86113.40
Majority4952.31
Turnout 21,34892.39+18.88
Registered electors 23,106

1978 election

1978 general election: Kapiti [16]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
National Barry Brill 8,211 43.10 -7.11
Labour Margaret Shields 8,18842.98
Social Credit Dick Collins2,34512.31+6.65
Values V M Harward3051.60
Majority230.12-9.96
Turnout 19,04973.51-13.68
Registered electors 25,910

1975 election

1975 general election: Kapiti [16]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
National Barry Brill 11,068 50.21 +5.77
Labour Frank O'Flynn 8,84640.13-8.52
Social Credit Dick Collins1,2485.66
Values Joan Beaufort8813.99+1.83
Majority2,22210.08
Turnout 22,04387.19-2.26
Registered electors 25,279

1972 election

1972 general election: Kapiti [16]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Frank O'Flynn 8,161 48.65
National Barry Brill 7,45544.44
Social Credit John Harold Arnott7324.36
Values Joan Beaufort3632.16
New Democratic John Robert Vincent620.36
Majority7064.20
Turnout 16,77389.45
Registered electors 18,751

Notes

  1. ↑ McRobie 1989, p. 111.
  2. 1 2 McRobie 1989, p. 115.
  3. ↑ McRobie 1989, pp. 112, 116.
  4. ↑ McRobie 1989, pp. 111, 115.
  5. ↑ McRobie 1989, p. 114.
  6. ↑ McRobie 1989, pp. 114–119.
  7. ↑ McRobie 1989, pp. 122, 126f.
  8. ↑ McRobie 1989, pp. 110, 114.
  9. ↑ Wilson 1985, p. 214.
  10. ↑ Wilson 1985, pp. 185, 224.
  11. ↑ Wilson 1985, pp. 185, 234.
  12. 1 2 "Dame Margaret Shields dead". Radio New Zealand . 3 June 2013. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  13. 1 2 Tunnah, Helen (14 July 2004). "Sowry decides it's time to try a new career". The New Zealand Herald . Retrieved 17 February 2010.
  14. ↑ Part 1: Votes recorded at each polling place (Technical report). New Zealand Chief Electoral Office. 1993. p. 52.
  15. ↑ Part 1: Votes recorded at each polling place (Technical report). New Zealand Chief Electoral Office. 1990. p. 53.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Norton 1988, p. 259.

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