General Matters

The Proposed Electoral Boundaries now published are the work of the Representation Commission. The Proposed Boundaries will be notified simultaneously to the general public and to Members of Parliament. They are put forward for public discussion and for appropriate modification or adjustment through the objection and counter-objection process. The Commission will finalise the boundaries of electoral districts after carefully considering objections and counter-objections.

The main provisions of the Electoral Act 1993 which covers the Commission’s work are sections 35 - 38, 45 and 46. The number of electorates is determined by the formula set out in sections 35 and 45.

In general terms the South Island is allocated a fixed number (16) of “General” (i.e. non-Māori) electorates. The numbers of North Island General electorates and of Māori electorates are then calculated so that their electoral populations are approximately the same as those for South Island General electorates. Based on the 2006 Census of Population and Dwellings and the 2006 Māori Electoral Option the population figures produce 63 General Seats (16 South Island and 47 North Island) and 7 Māori Seats. In a 120 seat parliament the provision of 70 electorates will result in 50 list seats being allocated (1 fewer than at the 2005 General Election).

The Electoral Act 1993 imposes strict electoral population limits that are binding on the Commission. These provide an overall constraint to ensure that there are approximately equal numbers of people in each electorate so that they have equality of representation in Parliament. All electorates must contain electoral populations varying not more than ±5% from the following quotas which are calculated in accordance with the Act:

Within those allowances the Commission, in dividing New Zealand into General Electorates, is required by law to give due consideration to existing electoral district boundaries, community of interest, facilities of communications, topographical features and any projected variation in the general electoral population of those districts during their life. In dividing New Zealand into the Māori electoral districts the Commission is required by law to give due consideration to; the existing boundaries of the Māori Electoral Districts, community of interest among the Māori people generally and members of Māori iwi, facilities of communications, topographical features and any projected variation in the Māori electoral population of those districts during their life.

In considering projected population changes all electorates must remain within ± 5% of their population quota but within that range the Commission can seek to put more population into electorates with less than average growth relative to quota (or even a projected decline) and less population into the faster growing electorates relative to the quota. This enables the Commission to try and anticipate population changes to this limited extent and so to enhance equality of representation as well as boundary stability. The population projections used by the Commission were for the years 2008 (by which time a general election will be required under the Electoral Act 1993), and 2011 (theoretically the maximum possible lifetime of the boundaries now being proposed).

However population projections are only one of a number of criteria. In any given electorate the Commission can only balance the different criteria against each other so far as they affect that electorate and other related electorates, and try and achieve the best balance overall. Given the primacy of the population limits, it is impossible to satisfy all the statutory criteria to the same extent in all electorates.

The Chatham Islands are to be included in such General and Māori Electoral Districts as the Commission thinks fit (s.46). The proposal is for them to remain in the Rongotai General Electorate and the Te Tai Tonga Māori Electorate.

Full details of the objection and counter-objection process are given in the Gazette Notice reproduced on page 4. Copies of the maps and of this document are available for inspection throughout New Zealand at the various offices and organisations shown in the Schedule on page 6.

The Commission has applied itself carefully to the requirements of the Electoral Act 1993 as an independent statutory body and it now looks forward to the benefit of public input in the manner contemplated by the Act.

To assist the public the Commission is obliged to publish its reasons for the proposed boundaries. These are detailed for each electorate, prefaced by the general reasons affecting the North and South Islands. Separate reasons are given for Māori electorates.

Technical Matters

1. The Commission has departed from the former practice of providing written descriptions for proposed boundaries. The boundaries proposed by the Commission are described in general by maps. Detailed maps are available on the website http://www.elections.govt.nz/mapping/

2. Electoral boundaries follow meshblock boundaries. (Meshblocks are the basic geographic mapping areas used by Statistics New Zealand and Land Information New Zealand (LINZ), containing populations generally under 500). Where the coloured boundary lines on the Commission’s maps are not precise enough to define a boundary exactly, LINZ will be able to clarify the boundary by reference to the relevant meshblocks.

3. Where boundaries follow roads, unless otherwise specified the boundary is intended to be in the middle of the road.

4. The seaward boundaries of coastal electorates extend out to New Zealand’s territorial limit. This avoids the doubt inherent in using boundaries that are affected by erosion, accretion or reclamation.

5. Population projections have been provided by Statistics New Zealand for the years 2008 and 2011.(See Tables) They are necessarily estimations, with less reliability for 2011 than for 2008. Percentages for population projections are always rounded to the nearest whole number. Since the total population of each Island is expected to grow, and yet across each Island all electorates must exactly average the quota, it is more relevant for the Commission to know relative growth rates than absolute growth rates. The percentage figures provided express the expected variation from 2006 Census figures compared to the average variation for the relevant electoral population - North Island General, South Island General, or Māori as the case may be.

Commission's Full Report | Proposed Electorates | Interactive Maps