Thirteen regional councillors going to 14 _ any more?

As the Greater Wellington Regional Council confirms the addition of a Maori constituency for the region from next year’s election, it’s also seeking the community’s views on whether the current set-up needs further expansion.

The new Māori constituency is expected to be established in 2025, with the Maori councillor taking the number at the council table from 13 to 14. But GWRC is asking whether the current 13 general  constituency also need to grow, or whether it enables “fair and effective representation” at the present size. For background, Wellington region has six current constituencies. Five councillors are elected from Wellington constituency, three from Lower Hutt, two from Porirua/Tawa, and one each from Kapiti, Upper Hutt and Wairarapa. Population figures show the differences in representation levels across the six constituencies_ so we can all do the math. 

* Wellington     192,100 or 38,420 per councillor

* Lower Hutt    101,300 or 33,767 per councillor 

* Porirua/Tawa  68,100 or 34,050 per councillor

* Kapiti              53,400 or 53,400 per councillor

* Upper Hutt     44,100 or 44,100 per councillor

* Wairarapa      46,000 or 46,000 per councillor

* Total:              505,300 or 38,869 per councillor

In other words, the sole Kapiti councillor has the biggest constituency load if the new census figures don’t show significant population shifts in the region. 

For example, some recent figures show the region’s population growth at 7.1 percent, but the Wairarapa sub-region growing by 15 percent. 

Even on those figures, the Kapiti representation level remains the highest, with some 7,000+ extra constituents for its sole member.

Greater Wellington said it wants to develop, for public consultation, its initial representation proposal for the 2025 elections. This consultation is expected to take place from June. Stats NZ will release the first data from the 2023 Census from Wednesday, 29 May 2024, data which likely will  have a defining impact on the project.

The proposed public consultation notes suggest a full scale “bottom-up” review may be undertaken.

GWRC adds: “Council (is) to consider the number of general constituencies … the number and boundaries of each general constituency, and the number of elected members for each general constituency.” 

It notes its review outcome could “affect” the number of councillors elected.

ends