Report of the Representation Commission 2007
MĀORI ELECTORAL DISTRICTS
The number of Māori Electoral Districts largely depends on the number of Māori who choose, during the Māori Electoral Option period, to be registered on the Māori electoral roll. The combined effect of the 2006 Census of Population and Dwellings, and the 2006 Māori Electoral Option did not increase the total number of Māori Electoral Districts which remain at seven.
In forming the Māori Electoral Districts the Commission is required by the Act to consider all of the following factors:
· the existing boundaries of the Māori Electoral Districts;
· community of interest among the Māori people generally and members of Māori tribes;
· facilities of communications;
· topographical features;
· any projected variation in the Māori electoral population in those districts during their life.
The Commission has balanced all the statutory criteria, with particular reference to community of interest amongst Māori tribes. Most of the Māori Electoral Districts cover a large geographic area by comparison to the general electorates. This is unavoidable given the present Māori electoral population.
Te Tai Tonga electorate is over the permitted quota, while Ikaroa-Rāwhiti is under quota. The Commission has balanced these two electorates against each other with minimal effect on other boundaries. Te Tai Hauauru electorate is outside the quota and has population projected to decline relative to the quota. Tainui has population which is increasing relative to the quota. The Commission was able to address the balance by moving the people of Ngāti Maniapoto from Tainui to join with the people of Ngāti Raukawa in Te Tai Hauauru. A consequential adjustment was made to the boundary of Tainui at Manurewa. The proposed adjustments were the subject of objections. The Commission was unable to allow the objections. It has now renamed the adjusted Tainui electorate Hauraki-Waikato.
The Commission made no changes to the electorates of Te Tai Tokerau and Waiariki.
Final Boundaries
Appended as Schedule C is a table showing each electorate, its electoral population, the variation from quota, and the projected population variations, from projected quota, for 2008 and 2011.