Māori Electoral Districts as Proposed by the Representation Commission

General Principles

There has been no change to the number of Māori electorates since the Report of the Commission in 2002. The exercise of the Māori Electoral Option resulted in an electoral population for 7.25 electorates which was rounded to 7 as required by the Electoral Act 1993. The number of electorates remains at 7. The Commission has had the task of addressing the imbalance of population relative to quota between the existing electorates.

In reforming the existing Māori electorates the Commission is required by the Electoral Act 1993 to consider all of the following factors:

• The existing boundaries of the Māori electoral district; and

• Community of interest among the Māori people generally and members of Māori tribes; and

• Facilities of communications; and

• Topographical features; and

• Any projected variation in the Māori electoral population of those districts during their life.

The Commission has balanced all the statutory criteria bearing in mind that for the Māori electorates community of interest among Māori people generally and members of Māori tribes is an additional factor to consider. Most of the Māori electorates cover a large geographic area by comparison to the general electorates. This is unavoidable given the present number of electorates.

Te Tai Tonga electorate is over the permitted quota, while Ikaroa-Rawhiti is under quota. The Commission has balanced these two electorates against each other with minimal effect on other boundaries. The balance occurs by changing the Te Tai Tonga boundary in the North Island to follow an east-west line through the Hutt Valley. The western hill areas of Hutt Valley and the Taita and Naenae areas move into the Ikaroa-Rawhiti electorate. Te Tai Tonga retains the coastal areas, Wellington Harbour fringe and adjoining river flats.

Te Tai Hauauru electorate is outside the quota and has population which is projected to decline relative to the quota. Tainui has population which is increasing relative to the quota. The Commission has decided to address the balance by moving the people of Ngati Maniapoto from the Tainui electorate to join with the people of Ngati Raukawa in Te Tai Hauauru. The boundary between the 2 electorates now occurs at the Puniu River. The change requires a consequential adjustment to the boundary of Tainui. The Commission has made the change by moving population from Tamaki-Makaurau at the southern part of Manurewa east of the motorway.

The Commission proposes that the electorate be renamed Pare Hauraki-Pare Waikato.

The Commission has made no changes to the electorates of Te Tai Tokerau and Waiariki.

Commission's Full Report | Proposed Electorates | Interactive Maps