MÄÂori Party Acknowledges the Changing Face of Tangata Whenua

The demographics of Māori population change have resulted in adjustments to the boundaries of five of the seven Māori electorates.

Tāmaki Makaurau MP and Co-leader of the Māori Party, Dr Pita Sharples, today reflected on the policy changes which have led to population from the southern part of Manurewa shifting to the new electorate of Hauraki-Waikato. The existing Tāmaki Makaurau electorate was at the upper end of the quota range and projected to remain so through to 2011.

“What last year’s Census told us was that the majority of Māori (87%) live in the North Island, with just under 25% living in the Auckland region” said Dr Sharples.

“It’s a huge turn-around from fifty years ago, when nearly two-thirds of Māori lived in rural areas” said Dr Sharples (84.4% of Māori now live in urban areas).

“The upshot of all of this, is that something had to give – Tamaki Makaurau's loss is Hauraki-Waikato’s gain” said Dr Sharples.

The southern part of Manurewa East is now part of the Hauraki-Waikato electorate.

“The other issue which is really positive to see is the use of macrons for electorates with Māori names” said Dr Sharples.

Macrons have been applied to Te AtatÅ«; Tāmaki ; Māngere; Taupō; RangitÄ«kei; Ã…Å’taki ; Ã…Å’hariu; Kaikōura ; Tāmaki Makaurau; Te Tai Hauāuru and Ikaroa-Rāwhiti. “It is great to see the care being taken to ensure correct pronunciation of these names” said Dr Sharples.

"We're pleased that the advice from the Māori Party has been taken into account in the announcements today".



NB: A separate release will be issued from Tariana Turia, Member of Parliament for Te Tai Hauauru