Proposed boundary changes spark concern in Bay of Plenty

The Western Bay of Plenty District would be covered by seven electorate MPs under the proposal - Coromandel, Mount Maunganui, Tauranga, Rotorua, East Coast, Waiariki and Hauraki Waikato. Photo / Mead Norton

A rural community would become “an island in the wilderness” if electoral boundaries change as proposed, a Western Bay of Plenty resident says.

The Representation Commission is consulting on its electoral boundary review that will see changes to the Tauranga, Bay of Plenty and Rotorua electorates for the 2026 general election.

The Tauranga electorate would shift west and include the rural town of Te Puna. The Bay of Plenty electorate will be reconfigured to include Mount Maunganui and renamed Mount Maunganui.

Rotorua will be expanded to include the Western Bay of Plenty areas Ōropi, Ōmanawa, McLaren Falls and Lower Kaimai.

Belk Rd resident Molly Powell said the Lower Kaimai community had no association with Rotorua, geographically or emotionally.

People had to travel through Tauranga to get to Rotorua, she said.

How the proposed electorate changes would affect the Rotorua electorate. Graphic / Representation Commission

“We would be like an island in the wilderness. Our association is with Tauranga, and we want it to remain that way.

There was a “danger” of their issues, especially roading, going unheard and becoming secondary to Rotorua’s, Powell said.

Fellow Belk Rd resident Cherie Anderson shared concerns about local issues, including roading, transport and the Tauriko Business Estate expansion, she said.

The Belk Rd and State Highway 29 intersection was being upgraded as part of works for Tauriko West, a planned new community of up to 4000 homes.

“The city [Tauranga] is creeping out to us,” Anderson said.

Part of Belk Rd would come under the Tauranga electorate and the rest Rotorua. Anderson said they would be better represented by a Tauranga MP likely to be more “cognisant” of their needs.

How the proposed electorate changes would affect Tauranga and Bay of Plenty (to be renamed Mt Maunganui) borders. Graphic / Representation Commission

Te Puna resident of 20 years Sarah Rice was happy being in the current Bay of Plenty electorate rather than “lumped in” with Tauranga.

She was concerned about rural issues being addressed when they came into conflict with the larger urban population.

Western Bay of Plenty District councillor Don Thwaites said he understood the residents’ concerns.

The Kaimai Ward councillor covers Te Puna and the Kaimai communities.

Thwaites has lived in Te Puna for 39 years and been in four different electorates during that time.

“It’s just a part-and-parcel of a growing area.”

He said the proposed boundary changes would likely be temporary, and Western Bay of Plenty could be large enough to be its own electorate in 10 or 20 years.

The district has a population of 62,000 and the minimum population for a North Island electorate was 66,381.

Western Bay Mayor James Denyer. Photo / Brydie Thompson

Western Bay Mayor James Denyer said the big changes were for Lower Kaimai and Te Puna residents, but, as a whole, the council would still be working with seven MPs.

Electorates covering the district would be Coromandel, Mount Maunganui, Tauranga, Rotorua, East Coast, Waiariki and Hauraki Waikato.

For people in Te Puna who said they did not associate with Tauranga, the same could also be said for people in Paengaroa in the East Coast electorate, Denyer said.

“We’ve got a bunch of capable MPs, and I think they’ll be served pretty well with the new MPs.”

Tauranga MP Sam Uffindell. Photo / Alex Cairns

Uffindell said he was excited at the prospect of representing Te Puna and was National’s horticulture spokesman.

“It’s a tight-knit community with a strong horticultural base — they’re my type of people.

“I can assure them Te Puna’s voice will be strong.”

In a Facebook post, he said it was with a heavy heart that he would see Mount Maunganui go.

Bay of Plenty MP Tom Rutherford said he was disappointed to potentially lose representing communities he had built strong relationships with, but he was also excited about welcoming new areas if these changes were confirmed.

Rutherford said he worked collaboratively with Uffindell and Rotorua MP Todd McClay and all knew the unique characteristics and needs of each area.

His office was open to anyone needing assistance, regardless of electorate boundaries, Rutherford said.

McClay said he worked hard to ensure he and his staff were available.

He had offices in Rotorua and Te Puke and held constituent clinics and meetings in other parts of the electorate, McClay said.

“You shouldn’t have to go looking for your MP. It’s the MP’s job as much as possible to come to them.”

Rotorua MP Todd McClay. Photo / Andrew Warner

Many of the issues people faced were similar, from roads and law and order to communications and isolation, he said.

The Bay of Plenty MPs worked closely together to address these issues, McClay said.

He had spoken to Uffindell about potentially using his Tauranga office so he could serve the new areas, he said.

McClay also planned to hold a meeting with Rutherford for the Lower Kaimai community in the coming months.

He said he wanted to respect the Electoral Commission’s process because the final decision was yet to be made.

The Representation Commission holds a boundary review after every population Census to ensure electorates have the same number of people and ensure equal representation in Parliament.

Following consultation in April and May and hearings in June, the final boundaries would be released in August and apply for the 2026 general election.

- LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.