Call to oppose electoral boundary changes

Proposed electoral boundary changes have come as a shock in Maketu, which along with Paengaroa would move from the Rotorua electorate to the East Coast electorate.

Maketu Community Board chairman Shane Beech said the proposed changes were a shock and he was doubtful of any benefit to the local community.

"We are a slightly different kettle of fish from other areas and towns like Gisborne."

Maketu was moved from the Bay of Plenty electorate to Rotorua in the last boundary shake-up.

Mr Beech said the town was already well served by Rotorua MP Todd McClay.

"Personally, I think Maketu has quite a good rapport with Rotorua but shifting to the coast, I certainly have reservations to how well we would be looked after," Mr Beech said.

"We have very good support from our electorate offices in Rotorua."

East Coast MP Anne Tolley's office is located in Gisborne.

Independent MP Brendan Horan called on people to make submissions against the proposed boundaries.

"They bear no geographical resemblance to where they actually are geographically," he said.

"How can it be that someone who lives in Maketu has to make an appointment in Gisborne just to see their local MP and get resolution?

"There needs to be geographical relevance, otherwise call it something else."

Meanwhile, Te Puke will be absorbed into the Rotorua electorate.

As well as these changes, about 5000 people living in urban Pyes Pa will switch from Tauranga to the Bay of Plenty electorate.

A report released this week detailing the proposed changes says moving urban Pyes Pa into the Bay of Plenty would make up for the loss of Te Puke's population if it switched to the Rotorua electorate.

It stated Rotorua lost a population of 9400 (from Kawerau's proposed move to the East Coast) and was also projected to decline significantly.

In response, Te Puke's population would be moved from the Bay of Plenty electorate to help boost Rotorua's numbers.

Tauranga MP Simon Bridges said the changes were proposed so each MP in New Zealand represented roughly the same number of people (approximately 60,000) in their respective electorates.

Mr Bridges said growth in The Lakes and Bethlehem likely contributed to a proposal to lump urban Pyes Pa into the Bay of Plenty electorate.

"So the greater the population, the smaller the geographic area of an electorate," he said.

"The significant change is that the Rotorua electorate has grown geographically and is now much further into the Western Bay of Plenty."

Western Bay of Plenty District Council councillor Karyl Gunn, formerly Te Puke Community Board chairwoman, said Te Puke already sat on the boundary with Rotorua, which was an advantage for the town.

The proposed boundaries can be viewed online at www.elections.org.nz or printed copies can be viewed at libraries.