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Auckland Central is a New Zealand electoral division returning one member to the House of Representatives of New Zealand. Its current representative is Nikki Kaye, a member of the National Party; she has represented the seat since 2008.
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Population centres
In the 1887 electoral redistribution, although the Representation Commission was required through the Representation Act 1887 to maintain existing electorates "as far as possible", rapid population growth in the North Island required the transfer of three seats from the South Island to the north. Ten new electorates were created, including Auckland Central, and one former electorate was recreated.
Auckland Central contains downtown Auckland, the suburbs of Ponsonby, Grey Lynn, Westmere, Arch Hill, Herne Bay, Freemans Bay, St Mary's Bay, Newton and Eden Terrace at the west side of the city. Because of the location of the main Auckland ferry terminal, Auckland Central also contains the islands of the Hauraki Gulf. At the 2008 election, Grafton became part of Epsom, and Point Chevalier moved into Mount Albert. To offset these changes, the suburb of Newton was drafted in from Mount Albert.
History
Auckland Central was created ahead of the 1887 election; it was carved from parts of the electorates of Auckland North and the Auckland West and focused around upper Queen Street, Grafton, and Newton. It lasted only until the 1890 elections, when a reduction in the number of electorates meant Auckland Central was re-incorporated into single larger Auckland electorate. At the 1905 elections, the Auckland seat was split into three seats, including a recreated Auckland Central.
The seat has been held by the Labour Party for most of its existence — between 1919 and 2008, the seat had spent only three years in the hands of another party (the left-wing Alliance, from 1993 to 1996). However, the 2008 election saw the National Party win the electorate for the first time. National retained the seat in 2011 and 2014, although with a reduced majority making Auckland Central one of the most marginal electorates in the country.
Members of Parliament
Unless otherwise stated, all MPs terms began and ended at general elections.
Key
Independent Liberal Labour Alliance National
List MPs
Members of Parliament elected from party lists in elections where that person also unsuccessfully contested the Auckland Central electorate. Unless otherwise stated, all MPs terms began and ended at general elections.
Key
ACT Alliance Green National Labour
2011 election
Electorate (as at 26 November 2011): 45,649