 | ||
Rangitata is an electorate in the South Island of New Zealand. It first existed for two parliamentary terms in the late 19th century and was re-established for the 2008 general election. It largely replaced the Aoraki electorate, but included parts of the Rakaia electorate as well. It is held by Jo Goodhew of the National Party, who was previously MP of the Aoraki electorate. Rangitata is a relatively safe National seat, though not as safe relative to its surrounding neighbours Selwyn and Waitaki due to both Timaru and Temuka being Labour Party strongholds.
Contents
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 Rangitata, and one former electorate was recreated.
The boundaries of the Rangitata electorate were last adjusted in the 2013/14 review, when an area around Rakaia was transferred to the Selwyn electorate.
The current electorate includes the following population centres (with approximate populations in brackets):
History
The Rangitata electorate was first established for the 1887 election. The election was contested by William Rolleston, who had represented Geraldine in the previously Parliament, Searby Buxton, and William Palmer. Buxton beat Rolleston, who had been in Parliament since 1868, by 588 to 507 votes, with Palmer receiving 14 votes. Buxton held the electorate until the end of the term in 1890, when the electorate was abolished again.
The electorate was re-established for the 1893 election and won by William Maslin, who served until the end of the parliamentary term in 1896. The electorate was again abolished at the end of that term.
The present electorate, established for the 2008 election, consists of the old Aoraki electorate, and those parts of the old Rakaia electorate not included in the Selwyn electorate.
It was created after a review of electoral boundaries conducted in the wake of the 2006 census of population and dwellings, which showed that there has been a general northwards population movement. Even though the number of South Island electorates is fixed, the decline in the population of electorates from Rakaia south has resulted in the boundaries of electorates from Invercargill north to Rakaia shifting northwards. At the time of the formation of the Rangitata electorate, Jo Goodhew was the incumbent in the Aoraki electorate. She has held the Rangitata electorate since its creation and in the 2014 election, she more than doubled her majority.
Members of Parliament
Key
Independent Liberal National
2011 election
Electorate (as at 26 November 2011): 48,024