Owairaka (New Zealand electorate)

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Owairaka was a New Zealand parliamentary electorate that existed for one parliamentary term from 1996 to 1999. Located in suburban Auckland, it was held by Helen Clark, who would become Prime Minister of New Zealand immediately after Owairaka was abolished.

Contents

Population centres

The 1996 election was notable for the significant change of electorate boundaries, based on the provisions of the Electoral Act 1993. [1] Because of the introduction of the mixed-member proportional (MMP) electoral system, the number of electorates had to be reduced, leading to significant changes. More than half of the electorates contested in 1996 were newly constituted, and most of the remainder had seen significant boundary changes. In total, 73 electorates were abolished, 29 electorates were newly created (including Owairaka), and 10 electorates were recreated, giving a net loss of 34 electorates.

For the 1996 election, the New Lynn electorate moved west. The Owairaka electorate gained its north-western area from what previously belonged to New Lynn. The Owairaka electorate took over the complete area that previously belonged to the Roskill electorate. The southern half of the Mount Albert electorate went to Owairaka as did the western part of the Onehunga electorate. The electorate covered a suburban part of the city of Auckland including Avondale, New Windsor, Lynfield, Hillsborough, Three Kings, the southern parts of Mount Eden, and Mount Albert.

History

The electorate was established in the first mixed-member proportional (MMP) election in 1996. The election was won by Helen Clark, who had held the Mount Albert electorate since the 1981 election. [2]

The electorate was abolished after one parliamentary term for the 1999 election. The southern half of the Owairaka electorate went to the newly established Mount Roskill electorate, whilst the northern half went to the recreated Mount Albert electorate. Clark returned to the Mount Albert electorate, which she continued to represent until her resignation in 2009. [3] From 1999 to 2008, Clark was Prime Minister of New Zealand. [4]

Members of Parliament

Key

  Labour   

ElectionWinner
1996 election Helen Clark
(Electorate abolished 1999; see Mount Roskill and Mount Albert)

Election results

1996 election

1996 general election: Owairaka [5] [6] [7]
Notes:

Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent.
A Green check.svgY or Red x.svgN denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively.

PartyCandidateVotes%±%Party votes%±%
Labour Helen Clark 16,68651.2011,52435.15
National Phil Raffills10,70632.8510,65732.51
NZ First Jason Keiller2,2977.052,7108.27
Alliance Keith Locke 1,7755.452,5767.86
ACT Andrew Couper7682.362,2186.77
McGillicuddy Serious Julia Johnson2170.67670.20
Natural Law Martin Davy900.28640.20
Advance New Zealand Eric Chuah500.15480.15
Christian Coalition  1,6645.08
Legalise Cannabis  4621.41
Ethnic Minority Party 2740.84
United NZ  2680.82
Progressive Green  900.27
Green Society 420.13
Animals First  410.13
Superannuitants & Youth 240.07
Mana Māori Movement  220.07
Libertarianz  160.05
Conservatives 100.03
Asia Pacific United 70.02
Te Tawharau 00.00
Informal votes429234
Total Valid votes32,58932,784
Labour win new seatMajority5,98018.35

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References

  1. "Electoral Act 1993". Act No. 87 of 17 August 1993. Archived from the original on 10 July 2015. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  2. Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. p. 189. OCLC   154283103.
  3. Young, Audrey (18 April 2009). "Haere ra Helen and Heather". The New Zealand Herald . Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  4. "Helen Clark steps down after Labour's loss in NZ election". The New Zealand Herald . 8 November 2008. Retrieved 20 November 2010.
  5. "Electorate Candidate and Party Votes Recorded at Each Polling Place – Owairaka, 1996" (PDF). Retrieved 9 July 2013.
  6. "Part III – Party Lists of Successful Registered Parties" (PDF). Electoral Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 February 2013. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
  7. "Part III – Party Lists of unsuccessful Registered Parties" (PDF). Electoral Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 February 2013. Retrieved 22 June 2013.