14 Jan 2014

Hundreds against electoral boundary changes

8:31 pm on 14 January 2014

Proposed changes to electoral boundaries, to be implemented before this year's general election, have generated hundreds of objections.

The Representation Commission has released details of the objections, which mainly focus on suggestions for electorate name changes and alternative options to new boundaries.

The commission received 409 objections to proposed electorate boundaries for the next two general elections. More than 1700 people made submissions.

Commission chair Bernard Kendall said a number of objectors want to see existing electorate boundaries retained.

Electorates that have generated the most comment include Mt Roskill in Auckland, where most of the 128 objections oppose an area currently within the existing Epsom electorat moving into the Mt Roskill electorate.

In Christchurch, where post-earthquake population shifts have altered the voting landscape, objectors oppose the Halswell area moving from the existing Selwyn electorate to the Port Hills.

Changes to Christchurch Central, which could create a more Labour Party-friendly electorate, generated 15 objections.