Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
The Green Party is demanding Māori names be reinstated to electorates in the capital.
It has launched a petition after the Rongotai electorate became Wellington Bays in boundary changes announced last week.
The Representation Commission confirmed final boundary adjustments ahead of next year's election.
"Rongotai means 'sound of the sea,' it has been the te reo name of our electorate for almost three decades and has been taken away with next to no consultation," MP Julie Anne Genter said.
"This was a decision based on the feedback of three people. This is not good enough and this must change," she said.
Genter and fellow Wellington-based Green MP Tamatha Paul are behind the petition.
"This is yet another attack on te reo, we have seen it with road signs, passports and now the name of an electorate," Paul said.
Genter told Midday Report what people had said to her about the changes.
"Overwhelming feedback we've had from people in our constituencies is they are shocked, surprised, and very unhappy with the change."
Genter said that there was no broad consultation on the name change before the decision was made, without the broader public being made aware that it could happen.
She said that the petition was launched because the party believed communities deserved to have a say.
"That will be presented to the representation commission, then it will be up to them to decide how they respond."
Boundary changes were largely in Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Christchurch and the lower North Island.
The changes included having one fewer electorate in the lower North Island to account for seven percent population growth in the South Island which, by law, can only have 16 seats.
In Auckland, the Rānui electorate also became Henderson.
Julie Anne Genter said the Rongotai name in Wellington "accurately and beautifully captured the geography and spirit of our electorate".
The Representation Commission told RNZ that the new names in Wellington reflected the geographic areas the electorates now cover.
The government body said they also reflected the likely direction of future growth.
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