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Counter-Objection

Relates to objections

N20-003

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Mr Taylor Watson

Labour's map separates Mt Wellington. They contradict themselves when they say "a better solution is not to split Mount Wellington" is separating the proposed Maungakiekie and Manukau East electorates along the rail line as per the Commission’s draft. This line acts as a natural boundary, compared to Labour's jaggerdy boundary that absurdly moves in and out streets splitting tight communities of interest. All of Mt Wellington has historically been in the Maungakiekie electorate, unlike Panmure and Point England.

Counter-Objection

Relates to objections

N20-032 , N20-061, N20-029, N20-062, N20-013, N20-051, N20-043, N20-048, N20-005, N20-014, N20-015, N20-016, N20-019, N20-018, N20-020, N20-021, N20-022, N20-023, N20-026, N20-024, N20-063, N20-030, N20-031, N20-001, N20-056, N20-002, N20-035, N20-038, N20-039, N20-040, N20-041, N20-004, N20-058, N20-059, N20-045, N20-046, N20-049, N20-047, N20-050, N20-052, N20-007, N20-008, N20-055, N20-057, N20-027, N20-010, N20-009

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Michelle Spencer

The concern in these submissions about the lack of connection between Panmure and Manukau east can be solved by a new name that represents all the communities in the new electorate, such as "Panmure-Otahuhu".
I believe the Commission's proposed boundary of the Mt Wellington railway line is natural.

Counter-Objection

Relates to objections

N20-006, N20-007, N20-009, N20-033, N20-036, N20-037, N20-038, N20-047

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Sue White

Due to population growth, there needs to be some removal of suburbs along the eastern side of the Maungakiekie electorate, therefore the Mt Wellington Railway Line is a better natural boundary than the Tamaki Estuary.

Counter-Objection

Relates to objections

N20-032 , N20-061, N20-029, N20-062, N20-013, N20-051, N20-043, N20-048, N20-005, N20-014, N20-016, N20-019, N20-018, N20-020, N20-021, N20-022, N20-023, N20-026, N20-024, N20-063, N20-030, N20-031, N20-001, N20-056, N20-002, N20-035, N20-038, N20-039, N20-040, N20-041, N20-004, N20-058, N20-059, N20-045, N20-046, N20-049, N20-047, N20-050, N20-052, N20-007, N20-008, N20-055, N20-057, N20-027, N20-010, N20-009

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Dr Mary Hedges

All of these objections are based around the idea that Panmure in particular has no history or common interest with Manukau East, a point that I agree with. However, that relates to the proposed name of the electorate rather than the actual proposed boundary.
Furthermore, although there is limited history linking these areas, the two ends of the proposed new electorate used to be unified by the employment opportunities of the historic Sylvia Park/Mt Wellington industrial area. The nature of this area has changed and become a major central retail and services hub frequented by both both ends of the proposed new electorate. Therefore the proposed new electorate boundaries actually better represent the primary services hub for all of these suburbs.

Counter-Objection

Relates to objections

N20-003, N20-034, N20-048, N20-052, N20-058

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Dr Mary Hedges

All of these submissions reference the shape of the new electorate and claim it is impractical. This is brilliant. I suggest the submitter's take an outline of New Zealand and scale it down to the proposed electorate size - interestingly it is almost the same shape as the country, albeit a mirror image.
More seriously, the shape of the proposed new electorate actually follows major NE-SW transport corridors (car, rail and bus) toward the southern motorway and airport. This is further supported by the new boundaries following the Eastern train line and then the Southern and is bisected by the Southern motorway.
The shape of an electorate is largely irrelevant as it is not expected that voters travel across an electorate to vote. This is not the only electorate with a long-skinny or short-wide shape. Other examples include Christchurch Central, Nelson (the land portion), Tauranga (the land portion), the proposed North Shore and Upper Harbour. Furthermore, the new electorate is not vastly different from the current Maungakiekie electorate shape. Onehunga - Panmure is similar in length to Point England to Otara. If they object to this they should also be unhappy with the current Maungakiekie - that they want to stay in.

Counter-Objection

Relates to objections

N20-003

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Ainsley Siegel

This submission poorly separates the suburb of Mt Wellington and unnecessarily splits a community of interest. Mt Wellington has no common interest with Manukau East nor any major common geographic features that ties the two together. I find it difficult to accept that half of Mt Wellington residents should be in the Manukau East electorate, while the other half remain in Maungakiekie. Mt Wellington residents have also not been separated from Maungarei before. Why change this when it's a major identifying feature for many? Mt Wellington as a community should be kept intact and represented by a single MP, therefore the Railway Line is a better boundary to use.

Objection

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New Zealand Labour Party

The area in the south-east corner of the existing Manurewa Electorate is a long-standing part of the original Manurewa suburban area from the days of the Borough in the 1950s and 60s, through to the Manukau City Council Ward and now as part of the Manurewa Local Board area of Auckland Council. This south-east area includes long-standing local Manurewa schools and is served predominantly by the Manurewa main-street and Southmall shopping and service area and includes the new Manurewa Fire Station and Te Mahia Railway Station.
The boundary proposed in the south-east of Manurewa cuts across and bisects cohesive local communities and extracts them from long-term inclusion in Manurewa. This affects strong church and school communities.
The Weymouth area over the same historic period was a more separate community and now includes that long-term Weymouth community along with relatively new and very new housing subdivisions. It has retained a sense of independence as a community and supports a vocal and effective Residents and Ratepayers Society. The Weymouth area has remained relatively separate from Manurewa and is served predominantly by the Clendon shopping mall and service area which borders on Palmers Rd–one of the boundary lines proposed here. Moving Weymouth into the proposed Flat Bush Electorate would include in the proposed new electorate a whole distinct area which would not be divided or otherwise fragmented.
This would also serve to unite the three similar and adjacent areas in the south of Manurewa (Weymouth, Heron Point and Wattle Downs, each being a peninsula into the Manukau Harbour) within the proposed Flat Bush Electorate and thus add a cohesion to this part of the new electorate that the proposed extraction of communities from the south east of Manurewa does not have.

• Labour-Party-Submission-to-Representation-Commission-Dec-2019-N22-001.pdf (pdf 613 KB)

Objection

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Harveys Real Estate Papakura

I'm the proprietor of Harveys Real Estate Papakura. Our expertise lays in Project managment, marketing and selling of newly developed subdivisions in the area's of Karaka, Hingaia, Papakura, Clevedon and now Drury. These areas have experience extraordinary growth over the last few years. Drury in particular based on what is proposed in the areas 5-10 year plan will see this suburb fast become the mega centre of the South. With this in mind having the Papakura Electorate boundary's follow the same path of growth would make sense. It is our opinion that following the commissions proposal be a sensible one providing an eye to future proofing the area through consistent representation in order to tackle the pressures of this regions future growth challenges.

Objection

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Mr John O'Connor

Firstly, let me thank the commission for the work that has been done on this, and the opportunity the commission has allowed me to make this submission:
Your research has confirmed the tremendous growth that is taking place in this area, and the fact that this is going to continue in the future.
By taking into account this growth, particularly in the Drury area, the commission has identified that electoral boundaries need to adapt to accommodate it.
Papakura City is, of course urban, and should largely remain within the Papakura electorate, however by bringing rural areas such as Beachlands, Maeratai, and Clevedon, along with the current rural areas of Kingseat and Karaka, I suggest that you have created a near perfect electorate in terms of balance.
While I am not professionally qualified to comment on the future growth of this area, I know that it will be significant, and I believe that the proposed boundaries are sufficient to allow for this growth without modification of the proposed boundaries for some years.
I have been a resident of it for 40+ years. My wife and I have owned a significant portfolio of properties in the area. We understand it!
We believe it is well served by the proposed boundaries.

Objection

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Mr Daniel Nakhle

I am a resident of Papakura with large scale residential and commercial developments as well as industrial properties and businesses in Papakura, Karaka and Beachlands as well as The Gardens and Clarks Beach. Having lived in the area for over 35 years and worked specifically within it for over 25 years, I can say in both my personal and professional viewpoints, that the proposed boundary is a well-thought and appropriate solution to the growth that the area in and around Papakura has experienced in the past six years and further, takes into account the community of interest which has Papakura at its town centre. Although there will be disruption to communities, I note that the proposed boundary is very much in line with the old Clevedon seat (minus the Botany area).
The consolidation effect and the logical nature of these changes can only be seen as positive and the Commission is to be congratulated on such a sensible approach.

Objection

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Mrs Nikki Morris

I feel that moving Clevedon into the Papakura electorate is not going to be a fair reflection of unique rural nature of our community. With the current Hunua electorate most of the area covered by this electorate is rural or small settlements these area's have similar populations and priorities. By lumping Clevedon in with the Papakura electorate which is urban the wishes and voices of our smaller community will be overwhelmed by thise with a more urban outlook and i fear for the unique nature of Clevedon.

Objection

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Rohan McGowan

The revision of the Papakura electorate, and the foundation of the new Flat Bush electorate appears the split low income elements from a fairly cohesive & contiguous community and dilutes them out by including them with far more affluent voters in both the proposed electorates. This would appear to reduce the representation of an already underrepresented cohort, as it is well established that low income individuals have lower incidence of voting, and as such splitting this group is likely to cause further harm by reducing their voice in parliament.

Objection

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Mr Richard and Uinise Smythe

With the increased number of people in Papakura, it makes a lot of sense to offer another electorate such as the proposed Flat Bush. We live in Conifer Grove and would be happy to vote in this new electorate.
Also, with family and friends in Clevedon, Whitford, Maraetai and Orere Point, they have mentioned how delighted they'd be to return to Papakura as they had been in the past.
Uinise and I approve unreservedly the proposed changes listed in the first draft from your website.

Objection

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Christopher Verissimo

Having developed in Papakura for the last 40 years and seeing the growth occurring in the area e.g. Drury etc I believe the Representation Commissions report is the correct approach for the new growth while keeping the communities interest. I therefore support the proposed boundary adjustments.

Objection

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Mrs Megan Wallace

Papakura Electorate growth means that this proposed boundary change is sensible. The rural areas of Maraetai, Beachlands, Clevedon, Whitford and Orere Point used to be part of the original Clevedon Electorate and it makes more sense for them to be affiliated with Papakura.