Flat Bush was proposed as New Zealand's new electorate, but Takanini triumphed

The new electorate boundaries have been confirmed, with a new electorate in south Auckland.

Originally proposed as Flat Bush, its name was changed to Takanini after public consultation.

The Representation Commission, which has set the official electorate boundaries for the next two elections, has made 36 changes mainly in Auckland, Waikato, Christchurch, Otago and Southland, with 7 percent of the population in a different electorate to 2017.

Most of the boundary changes were signalled in the proposed electorates report published in November 2019, when it was confirmed that there will be a new electorate resulting in one fewer list seats in Parliament than at the 2017 election. 

When the Representation Commission proposed Flat Bush it received 22 objections, with some objecting to the name, suggesting alternatives such as Takanini, Flat Bush-Takanini, Manukau South, Manurewa East, Totara and Totara Park - but Takanini has won the crown. 

Flat Bush was proposed as New Zealand's new electorate, but Takanini triumphed
Photo credit: Supplied

The number of electorates will increase from 71 to 72, meaning in a 120-seat Parliament - excluding any overhang - there will be 72 electorate and 48 list seats. 

Regularly adjusting the electorate boundaries makes sure each electorate has about the same number of people.

Each electorate must not exceed 5 percent or be below 5 percent of the set quota, which is 64,899 for the North Island and 65,458 for the South Island.

There were 11 North Island electorates that have electoral populations that vary by more than plus or minus 5 percent of the 2018 quota, hence the need to shift them around a bit. 

Name changes for electorates 

Flat Bush was proposed as New Zealand's new electorate, but Takanini triumphed
Photo credit: Supplied

How the electorates have changed 

The new Takanini electorate has been created by drawing from Labour MP Louisa Wall's Manurewa, the former Hunua electorate, and National MP Judith Collins' Papakura, and includes Wattle Downs and Takanini. 

National MP Andrew Bayly's Hunua electorate has been renamed Port Waikato, and now includes population from Waikato.  

National MP Mark Mitchell's Rodney electorate has been redrawn to include Dairy Flat and Coatesville and renamed Whangaparāoa. 

National MP Chris Penk's Helensville electorate is renamed Kaipara ki Mahurangi, and has been extended into National  MP Matt King's Northland, Whangaparāoa and National deputy leader Paula Bennett's Upper Harbour, and it loses the Waitakere Ranges to New Lynn. 

Labour MP Jenny Salesa's Manukau East electorate has been renamed Panmure-Ōtāhuhu, and a small area around Maungarei/Mount Wellington moves into it to maintain links with Panmure following requests from the public. 

There are no boundary changes for 31 electorates in the North Island, including Auckland Central, Botany, East Coast Bays, Epsom, Kelston, Māngere, Mt Albert, North Shore, Northcote, Pakuranga, Tāmaki and Te Atatū. 

In the South Island, Brightwater - a town in National MP Nick Smith's Nelson electorate - has been moved into Labour MP Damien O'Connor's West Coast-Tasman.

National MP Amy Adams' Selwyn electorate has the fastest-growing population, so has lost the Banks Peninsula area to Labour MP Ruth Dyson's newly named Banks Peninsula electorate, formerly known as Port Hills. 

National MP Jacqui Dean's Waitaki electorate has lost the Alexandra and Clyde area to National MP Hamish Walker's Clutha-Southland electorate, now just called Southland. 

The Otago Peninsula has been moved from Labour MP Clare Curran's Dunedin South electorate to Labour MP David Clark's Dunedin North, while south Otago has been added to Dunedin South from Clutha-Southland. 

As a result of that big shakeup, Dunedin South becomes Taieri and Dunedin North becomes Dunedin. 

National MP Sarah Dowie's Invercargill electorate has been expanded into western Southland, including Tuatapere, so that Winton and The Caitlins can be added to Invercargill as the public requested. 

There have been no changes made to Labour MP Duncan Webb's Christchurch Central, National MP Stuart Smith's Kaikōura and National MP Matt Doocey's Waimakariri.

As for the Māori electorates, the number remains seven, but some boundary changes have been made. 

Labour MP Peeni Henare's Tāmaki Makaurau has gained an area around Te Atatū South from Labour deputy leader Kelvin Davis' Te Tai Tokerau, and an area to the east of Manurewa and Waiheke Island from Labour MP Nanaia Mahuta's Hauraki-Waikato. 

No boundary changes have been made to Labour MP Adrian Rurawhe's Te Tai Hauāuru and Labour MP Tamati Coffey's Waiariki.