Whangārei (New Zealand electorate)


Whangārei is a New Zealand parliamentary electorate that was first created for the. The electorate is a reasonably safe National seat, and was held for long periods by John Banks and Phil Heatley, before being won in the by Shane Reti.

Population centres

Since the, 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.
The boundaries of the Whangārei electorate were last adjusted for the ; before then, the electorate bordered onto the Kaipara Harbour. Subsequent redistributions in 2002, 2007, and 2013/14 did not change the boundaries further, but boundary changes announced in April 2020 will move Poroti and Maungakaramea into Northland.
The electorate includes the following population centres:
It extends from Hikurangi in the north to Ruatangata and Maungatapere in the west and Waipu and Langs Beach in the south.

History

The electorate was created for the, 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, retired at the end of the current parliamentary term in 2014. Shane Reti stood for the National Party in the 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 Whangārei 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

Election results

2017 election

2014 election

2011 election

Electorate : 46,511

2008 election

2005 election

2002 election

1999 election

Refer to Candidates in the New Zealand general election 1999 by electorate#Whangarei for a list of candidates.