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Whangarei is a New Zealand parliamentary electorate that was first created for the 1972 election. The electorate is a reasonably safe National seat, and was held for long periods by John Banks (1981–1999) and Phil Heatley (1999–2014), before being won in the 2014 election by Shane Reti.
Contents
Population centres
Since the 1969 election, the number of electorates in the South Island was fixed at 25, with continued faster population growth in the North Island leading to an increase in the number of general electorates. There were 84 electorates for the 1969 election, and the 1972 electoral redistribution saw three additional general seats created for the North Island, bringing the total number of electorates to 87. Together with increased urbanisation in Christchurch and Nelson, the changes proved very disruptive to existing electorates. In the South Island, three electorates were abolished, and three electorates were newly created. In the North Island, five electorates were abolished, two electorates were recreated, and six electorates were newly created (including Whangarei).
The boundaries of the Whangarei electorate were last adjusted for the 1999 election; before then, the electorate bordered onto the Kaipara Harbour. Subsequent redistributions in 2002, 2007, and 2013/14 did not change the boundaries further.
The electorate includes the following population centres:
It extends from Hikurangi in the north to Ruatangata and Poroti in the west and Waipu and Langs Beach in the south.
History
The electorate was created for the 1972 election, and apart from a Labour win that year, it has been won by National in every election since. Phil Heatley, who held the electorate since 1999, retired at the end of the current parliamentary term in 2014. Shane Reti stood for the National Party in the 2014 election and had a large margin over Labour's Kelly Ellis.
Members of Parliament
Unless otherwise stated, all MPs terms began and ended at a general election.
Key
List MPs
Members of Parliament elected from party lists in elections where that person also unsuccessfully contested the Whangarei electorate. Unless otherwise stated, all MPs terms began and ended at general elections.
1Donnelly resigned in February 2008 when appointed High Commissioner to the Cook Islands
2011 election
Electorate (as at 26 November 2011): 46,511