OBJECTIONS AND COUNTER OBJECTIONS

The Commission shares the views of its predecessors that the objection and counter-objection process works well and is understood by the public. As part of its public information process, the Commission produced template objection and counter-objection forms for the public to follow. The Commission received 331 objections including 57 objections to proposed names. There were 114 counter-objections to the proposed boundaries released on 3 May 2007. That number was greater when account is taken of the fact that 584 petitioners related to the Manurewa electorate, 538 to the West Coast-Tasman electorate, 560 to the Waimakariri electorate and 191 to the Christchurch Central electorate. The great majority of objections related to the proposed boundaries and 57 objections related to the proposed name given to Electoral Districts. The objections were summarised and released for public examination. On the date set for closure (28 June 2007) the Commission had received 114 counter-objections. The majority of those also related to boundary matters.

A number of minor technical changes not involving population, have also been made to improve alignment with Local Authority boundaries or surveyed property boundaries to more clearly define electorate boundaries.

A table showing the nature of the objections and counter-objections and the decision of the Commission in each case is appended as Schedule B. The major changes from the proposed boundaries are summarised below.

In the South Island there was strong objection to the splitting of the territory of the Timaru District Council between the electorates of Waitaki and Rangitata. While the preference of the objectors was to be placed in the Waitaki electorate, the quota tolerance did not allow that to happen. The Commission was able to combine more of the territory of the Timaru District Council around Pleasant Point, by placing it in Rangitata and thus preserving community of interest. The same considerations applied in respect of the objections relating to Wakefield near Nelson. The Commission was able to allow the objections to the extent of bringing together the surrounding communities of Belgrove and Foxhill into the same electorate as Wakefield, but considerations of the quota meant that the population had to be placed in the West Coast-Tasman electorate rather than in the Nelson electorate. In much the same manner the Commission was able to meet the majority of the objections focussed on the electorates around Christchurch with the result that the electorates there became primarily urban, although not all of the objectors were placed in the electorates of their choice. That also resulted in the Waimakariri electorate retaining its community of interest in relation to the areas of Oxford and Rangiora.

There was strong objection to the exclusion of the territory of the Cook Ward of the Gisborne District Council from the East Coast electorate. By placing the Maketu Ward into the Rotorua electorate, the Commission was able to make a consequential change to include Cook Ward in East Coast to meet the objections and thus preserve community of interest.

Arising out of the objections primarily affecting the electorates of Pakuranga, Manukau East and Manurewa, the Commission undertook a major redrawing of the proposed electorates of Pakuranga, Howick, Manukau East, Hunua, Papakura and Manurewa. There were consequential adjustments to the electorates of Maungakiekie and Tāmaki. The re-drawn electorates see Pakuranga returning to substantially the same electorate as existed before the Commission commenced its work. The resulting significant changes result in Otahuhu and Otara being placed in the Manukau East electorate. Panmure is now part of the Maungakiekie electorate.

Throughout its deliberations on objections and counter-objections, the Commission was conscious of the need to avoid, as far as possible, changes that had not been the subject of objection or counter objection. The reason for this was so that, in the publication of final boundaries, electors did not find that a boundary change had been made to which they had not had the opportunity to object or counter object. There is High Court authority, nevertheless, to allow such a change to occur where community of interest arguments had follow on effects. In some instances changes did occur as a follow on result from decisions made on some objections and counter-objections. The Commission does note that the major changes referred to above were substantially the product of the objection and counter-objection process.

A number of objections were received late. In some cases this was not the fault of either the objector or the Commission. However, they could not be considered because they were not received in time to be published in the Gazette and thus could not have been subject to the right of persons to counter-object.

The Commission continued the practice of previous Commissions of sitting outside Wellington to hear objections and counter-objections. In addition to Wellington, hearings were conducted in Timaru, Christchurch, Nelson, Gisborne, Hamilton and Auckland. In some instances, with the consent of objectors, hearings were conducted by telephone conference calls. Many objectors appreciated the opportunity to participate in the process of defining the Electoral Districts. Their expressions of opinion and local knowledge were excellent and materially assisted the Commission to make its final decisions. Some 80 individuals or organisations appeared before the Commission and spoke to their objection(s) or counter-objection(s). The objection process is essentially a written one. Each objection and counter-objection was carefully considered by the Commission whether or not the object or attended a hearing.

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