Waitakere (New Zealand electorate)

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Map showing extent of the Waitakere electorate from the 2008 election until its abolition in 2014 Waitakere electorate 2008.png
Map showing extent of the Waitakere electorate from the 2008 election until its abolition in 2014

Waitakere was a parliamentary electorate, returning one Member of Parliament to the New Zealand House of Representatives. The electorate was first formed for the 1946 election and existed until 2014, with breaks from 1969 to 1978 and from 1987 to 1993. The last MP for Waitakere was Paula Bennett of the National Party, who had held this position since the 2008 election.

Contents

Population centres

The 1941 New Zealand census had been postponed due to World War II, so the 1946 electoral redistribution had to take ten years of population growth and movements into account. The North Island gained a further two electorates from the South Island due to faster population growth. The abolition of the country quota through the Electoral Amendment Act, 1945 reduced the number and increased the size of rural electorates. None of the existing electorates remained unchanged, 27 electorates were abolished, eight former electorates were re-established, and 19 electorates were created for the first time, including Waitakere. [1]

Waitakere was based around the western suburbs of Auckland. Given the nature of population growth in greater Auckland, and the addition of three new seats in Auckland, the boundaries of Waitakere moved around at every electoral redistribution; in 1999, they were moved northwards as far as Helensville before being pulled back south three years later. In its last boundaries before abolition, the electorate included the Waitakere City suburbs of Henderson, Rānui and Swanson before heading west over the Waitākere Ranges to Piha.

Waitakere was first abolished in the 1967 electoral redistribution, which resulted from the Electoral Act 1965 that fixed the number of South Island electorates at 25. As a result, three additional electorates were created in the North Island, and one additional in the South Island. One of those new electorates was Henderson, which took over most of Waitakere's area. These changes came into effect with the 1969 election. [2] Henderson existed for three electoral cycles and was abolished again through the 1977 electoral redistribution, when Waitakere was recreated; this came into effect with the 1978 election. [3]

The 1987 electoral redistribution took the continued population growth in the North Island into account, and two additional general electorates were created, bringing the total number of electorates to 97. In the South Island, the shift of population to Christchurch had continued. [4] Overall, three electorates were newly created, three electorates were recreated, and four electorates were abolished (including Waitakere). All of those electorates were in the North Island. Changes in the South Island were restricted to boundary changes. [5] These changes came into effect with the 1987 election. [6] Waitakere was abolished from 1984 to 1993, and then abolished again in 2014 to make way for new electorates Kelston and Upper Harbour. [7] [8]

History

The Waitakere electorate existed from the 1946 election to 1969, and from the 1978 election to 1987. This seat was held in an unbroken run by Labour for the whole of these two periods.

The name Waitakere was reclaimed and applied to a new seat in 1993, which was expanded ahead of the introduction of Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) voting in 1996 election at the expense of the former seats of Henderson and Titirangi. [9]

A high turnout for the Alliance in West Auckland in 1996 split the left wing vote and denied then-Titirangi MP and Waitakere candidate Suzanne Sinclair re-election to Parliament, to the benefit of Marie Hasler, also a former Titirangi MP. In 2002 Lynne Pillay was elected over Alliance leader Laila Harré. In 2005 Pillay was re-elected with a five thousand vote majority over National's Paula Bennett. In a nationwide swing towards the National Party in 2008 Bennett managed to unseat Pillay, with a majority of 632.

Carmel Sepuloni was selected by the Labour Party to challenge Paula Bennett for her seat in 2011. [10] On election night, Paula Bennett was thought to have held the seat by 349 votes but after counting 3,130 special votes it was determined that Carmel Sepuloni had won by 11 votes. The National Party requested a judicial recount due to the tightness of the competition (Labour did the same in Christchurch Central, where the Labour candidate was beaten by 45 votes [11] ). The outcome of Waitakere's recount was released on 17 December 2011, returning Paula Bennett with a nine-vote majority. [12] [13] The margin was two orders of magnitude smaller than the number of voters who voted while not being on the electoral roll, 393. [14]

In November 2013, it was proposed that the Waitakere electorate be abolished for the 2014 general election. [15] The electorate was mainly subsumed by Helensville, Te Atatū, and the new Kelston electorate, with a small section moving to the new Upper Harbour electorate. [7]

Members of Parliament

Key

  Labour   National

ElectionWinner
1946 election Rex Mason
1949 election
1951 election
1954 election
1957 election
1960 election
1963 election Martyn Finlay
1966 election
(Electorate abolished 1969–1978, see Henderson)
1978 election Ralph Maxwell
1981 election
1984 election
(Electorate abolished 1987–1993, see Titirangi and West Auckland)
1993 election Brian Neeson
1996 election Marie Hasler
1999 election Brian Neeson (2nd period)
2002 election Lynne Pillay
2005 election
2008 election Paula Bennett
2011 election
(Electorate abolished in 2014, see Kelston)

List MPs

Members of Parliament elected from party lists in elections where that person also unsuccessfully contested the Waitakere electorate. Unless otherwise stated, all MPs terms began and ended at general elections.

ElectionWinner
1999 election Jonathan Hunt
2005 election Paula Bennett
2008 election Lynne Pillay

Election results

2011 election

Due to the closeness of the election in Waitakere a judicial recount was undertaken on 16 December and it was confirmed that Bennett has beaten Sepuloni by nine votes on 17 December.

2011 general election: Waitakere [16]
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%±%
National Green check.svgY Paula Bennett 13,46544.74-0.1612,53340.27-0.95
Labour Carmel Sepuloni 13,45644.71+1.8811,57937.21-2.57
Green Stephen Tollestrup1,8556.16+0.673,30810.63+4.16
Conservative Danny Mountain6112.03+2.037532.42+2.42
Legalise Cannabis Jeff Lye3311.10+1.101660.53+0.01
Mana Sue Bradford 3221.06+1.061740.56+0.56
Libertarianz Peter Osborne550.18+0.18330.11+0.06
NZ First  2,0116.46+2.91
ACT  2590.83-2.56
Māori Party  1680.54-0.23
United Future  1250.40-0.31
Alliance  90.03-0.10
Democrats  40.01-0.01
Informal votes652300
Total valid votes30,09531,122
National holdMajority90.03-2.04

Electorate (as at 26 November 2011): 43,143 [17]

2008 election

2008 general election: Waitakere [18]
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%±%
National Paula Bennett 13,70444.90+11.8312,95241.22+7.05
Labour Red x.svgN Lynne Pillay 13,07242.83-5.9812,49839.77-6.88
Green Gary Stewart1,6765.49+0.052,0326.47+0.54
NZ First Craig McNair 5971.96-2.361,1173.55-2.07
ACT John G Riddell4821.58+0.251,0673.40+2.07
Pacific Fia Misa Tupou4481.47+1.473981.27+1.27
Family Party Michael Kidd3581.17+1.171360.43+0.43
Independent Rita Beckmannflay1070.35+0.35
Alliance Sandra Ethell780.26+0.06420.13+0.02
Māori Party  2410.77+0.10
Progressive  2250.72-0.44
United Future  2240.71-2.23
Bill and Ben  1680.53+0.53
Legalise Cannabis  1660.53+0.26
Kiwi  1060.34+0.34
Workers Party  150.05+0.05
Libertarianz  140.04+0.02
RAM  100.03+0.03
Democrats  70.02+0.004
RONZ  50.02±0.00
Informal votes300149
Total valid votes30,52231,423
National gain from Labour Majority6322.07+17.81


2005 election

2005 general election: Waitakere [19]
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 Green check.svgY Lynne Pillay 15,32548.81+10.4214,98846.65
National Paula Bennett 10,38333.07+13.4110,97634.16
Green David Clendon 1,7095.441,9035.92
NZ First Brendon Stewart1,3544.311,8065.62
United Future Hannah Baral1,0353.309442.94
ACT John Riddell4161.334271.33
Destiny Stan Green3941.252270.71
Progressive David Parkyn2930.933701.15
Māori Party Charles Joe2720.872130.66
Direct Democracy Alona Covich790.25330.10
Family Rights John Ulberg740.24280.09
Alliance Sandra Ethell620.20-27.37360.11
Legalise Cannabis  870.27
Christian Heritage  580.18
Libertarianz  80.02
99 MP  70.02
Democrats  60.02
One NZ  50.02
RONZ  50.02
Informal votes271127
Total valid votes31,39632,127
Labour holdMajority4,94215.74+7.08

2002 election

2002 general election: Waitakere [20]
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 Lynne Pillay 9,75635.9512,86846.68
Alliance Laila Harré 7,42327.356672.41
National Marie Hasler 5,29519.513,84813.96
NZ First Arthur Albert1,2494.602,92410.60
Green Meriel Anne Watts1,1544.252,1947.95
United Future Graeme Torkler8022.951,8616.75
ACT John G Riddell6502.391,8606.74
Christian Heritage Madeleine Jane Flannagan3801.404141.50
Progressive David Parkin2180.804251.54
ORNZ  2150.78
Legalise Cannabis  1700.62
One NZ  140.05
Mana Māori  80.02
NMP  00.00
Informal votes95204
Total valid votes27,13127,563
Labour gain from National Majority2,3338.60

1999 election

Refer to Candidates in the New Zealand general election 1999 by electorate#Waitakere for a list of candidates.

1993 election

1993 general election: Waitakere [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
National Brian Neeson 8,283 41.96
Labour Barbara Hutchinson5,10325.85
Alliance Peter Maddison3,93319.92
NZ First Alf Lake1,6838.52
Christian Heritage Gary Rae3661.85
McGillicuddy Serious Allan Martin-Buss1710.86
Independent Trevor Cullen1200.60
Natural Law Kay Morgan810.41
Majority3,18016.10
Turnout 19,74083.73
Registered electors 23,573

1984 election

1984 general election: Waitakere [22]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Ralph Maxwell 9,926 48.28 +5.54
National John McIntosh5,45226.51
NZ Party Marsha Maxine Marshall3,22415.68
Social Credit Pat Wojcik1,8729.10-19.10
Independent Blanche Victoria Holloway850.41
Majority4,47421.76+8.07
Turnout 20,55991.49+2.31
Registered electors 22,471

1981 election

1981 general election: Waitakere [22]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Ralph Maxwell 8,996 42.74 -1.27
National Martin Gummer6,11329.04
Social Credit Pat Wojcik5,93528.20+9.14
Majority2,88313.69+3.39
Turnout 21,04489.18+16.78
Registered electors 23,595

1978 election

1978 general election: Waitakere [22]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Ralph Maxwell 8,612 44.01
National Bill Haresnape 6,59633.71
Social Credit Pat Wojcik3,73119.06
Values Sandy Gauntlett4522.31
Socialist Action B A Jones1740.88
Majority2,01610.30
Turnout 19,56572.40
Registered electors 27,021

1966 election

1966 general election: Waitakere [23]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Martyn Finlay 9,256 52.39 -2.14
National Peter Wilkinson 5,44330.80
Social Credit Keith Edward Donald Robertson2,96816.79
Majority3,81321.58+3.54
Turnout 17,66786.61-2.63
Registered electors 20,398

1963 election

1963 general election: Waitakere [23]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Martyn Finlay 8,751 54.53
National Horace Alexander Nash5,85636.49
Social Credit George Eric Sutherland1,0796.72
Liberal Alan Charles Warden2161.34
Communist Vic Wilcox 1440.89-0.16
Majority2,89518.04
Turnout 16,04689.24-0.53
Registered electors 17,979

1960 election

1960 general election: Waitakere [23]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Rex Mason 10,680 55.94 -1.78
National John Herbert Wilkinson6,97136.51
Social Credit Keith Edward Donald Robertson1,2396.48-1.02
Communist Vic Wilcox 2011.05
Majority2,89515.16-7.78
Turnout 19,09189.77-4.07
Registered electors 21,265

1957 election

1957 general election: Waitakere [23]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Rex Mason 9,263 57.72 +1.31
National Leonard Bradley5,58134.77
Social Credit Keith Edward Donald Robertson1,2047.50
Majority3,68222.94+1.28
Turnout 16,04893.84+3.09
Registered electors 17,100

1954 election

1954 general election: Waitakere [23]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Rex Mason 8,914 56.41 +9.49
National Jim McAllister5,49034.74
Social Credit Norman Monteith1,3978.84
Majority3,42421.66+18.37
Turnout 15,80190.75+0.20
Registered electors 17,411

1951 election

1951 general election: Waitakere [24]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Rex Mason 9,132 46.92 +4.76
National Robert Tapper8,49143.62+2.30
Majority6413.29-2.47
Turnout 17,62390.55-3.65
Registered electors 19,462

1949 election

1949 general election: Waitakere [25]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Rex Mason 8,341 51.68 -7.46
National Robert Tapper7,41145.92
Communist George Jackson3862.39
Majority9305.76-14.20
Turnout 16,13894.20+0.10
Registered electors 17,131

1946 election

1946 general election: Waitakere [26]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Rex Mason 8,285 59.14
National Archibald Morrison Laing5,48839.17
Independent Frederick Allen2351.67
Majority2,79719.96
Turnout 14,00894.30
Registered electors 14,854

Notes

  1. ↑ McRobie 1989, pp. 91–96.
  2. ↑ McRobie 1989, pp. 106, 111.
  3. ↑ McRobie 1989, pp. 115, 119.
  4. ↑ McRobie 1989, pp. 127f.
  5. ↑ McRobie 1989, pp. 123–128.
  6. ↑ McRobie 1989, p. 127.
  7. 1 2 Electoral boundary maps redrawn. 3 News NZ. 21 November 2013.
  8. ↑ Bennett to contest new seat. Radio NZ. 21 November 2013.
  9. ↑ "Waitakere 55" (PDF). Electoral Commission . Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  10. ↑ "Labour chooses Waitakere candidate". Television New Zealand . Newstalk ZB. 21 March 2010. Retrieved 1 December 2011.
  11. ↑ Backhouse, Matthew (10 December 2011). "John key Calls for Judicial Recount". The New Zealand Herald . New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 13 December 2011.
  12. ↑ "Paula Bennett reclaims Waitakere". The New Zealand Herald . 16 December 2011.
  13. ↑ "Waitakere Judicial Recount Official Results". Archived from the original on 9 February 2012.
  14. ↑ Powley, Kathryn (18 December 2011). "Questions over Waitakere vote". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 18 December 2011. 'Those 393, not only were they not on the roll in Waitakere, but they weren't enrolled anywhere.'
  15. ↑ Gower, Patrick (20 November 2013). "Boundary changes could swing the election". 3 News . Retrieved 20 November 2013.
  16. ↑ Waitakere results, 2011
  17. ↑ "Enrolment statistics". Electoral Commission. 11 November 2011. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
  18. ↑ 2008 election results
  19. ↑ election result Waitakere 2005
  20. ↑ Official Count Results -- Waitakere, 2002
  21. ↑ Part 1: Votes recorded at each polling place (Technical report). New Zealand Chief Electoral Office. 1993. p. 126.
  22. 1 2 3 Norton 1988, pp. 376.
  23. 1 2 3 4 5 Norton 1988, pp. 375.
  24. ↑ "The New Zealand Official Year-Book, 1951–52". Statistics New Zealand . Retrieved 19 November 2012.
  25. ↑ "The General Election, 1949". National Library. 1950. pp. 1–5, 8. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  26. ↑ "The General Election, 1946". National Library. 1947. pp. 1–11, 14. Retrieved 1 January 2014.

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References

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