Taupō (New Zealand electorate)

Taupō (spelt as Taupo until 2008) is a New Zealand parliamentary electorate returning one Member of Parliament to the House of Representatives. Taupo first existed between 1963 and 1981, and was recreated for the introduction of MMP in 1996. The current MP for Taupō is Louise Upston of the National Party. She has held this position since 2008.

Taupō
Single-member constituency
for the New Zealand House of Representatives
Outline map
Location of Taupō within Waikato
RegionWaikato
Major settlementsCambridge, Taupō, Tokoroa
Area8,255.39 km2 (3,187.42 sq mi)
Current constituency
Current MPLouise Upston
PartyNational

Electorate profile

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The Taupō electorate is based on the central North Island communities around Lake Taupō and the South Waikato District, including Tūrangi, Taupō, Tokoroa, and Cambridge.[1]

In 2013, one quarter (24.9%) of people in the Taupō electorate belonged to the Māori ethnic group – the sixth-highest share in New Zealand. The proportions of those working in the electricity, gas, water and waste services industry (1.3%), the accommodation, cafe, and restaurant industry (7.5%), and in arts and recreation services (2.4%), were well above the national average.[1]

History

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The Taupo electorate was first created for the 1963 election and it existed until 1981. The former electorate was much smaller than the current one, since it did not contain the western side of Lake Taupo, nor Cambridge, nor the Ruapehu towns. It was a marginal seat and frequently changed between National and Labour.

The current Taupō electorate was created ahead of the introduction to mixed-member proportional (MMP) voting in 1996. It is a merger of the old marginal seat of Tongariro with the western half of the safe National seat of Waikaremoana. Prior to the 2008 election, the electorate pulled south to take in the northern and western parts of Ruapehu District.

In the 2007 redistribution conducted after the 2006 census, the northern and western parts of Ruapehu District containing Taumarunui, Raetihi and Ohakune were assigned to Rangitīkei. At the same time, low population growth in the south-central North Island coupled with high population growth in and around Auckland has meant the conservative area of Cambridge moved out of the now defunct Piako electorate and into Taupō.[2] No boundary adjustments were undertaken in the subsequent 2013/14 redistribution.[3] In the 2020 redistribution, an area around Putāruru and Tīrau, and a smaller area just north of Cambridge were ceded to Waikato.[4]

Taupō has twice returned Mark Burton with a majority of around a thousand – in 1996, when Labour's post-1990 fortunes were at their lowest and New Zealand First went on to take a large bite out of their vote; and again in 2005, when National consolidated the centre-right vote, and at the same time won 2,000 more party votes than Burton's Labour party. At the intermediate two MMP elections, Burton was safely returned, thanks in part to a heavy disenchantment with the National Party among its formerly loyal voters. In the political climate in 2008, with the dominance of the National Party in Cambridge, which contributed over ten thousand new voters to the seat, Louise Upston won the seat with a majority of over 6,000.[5][6] In the 2011 election, Upston more than doubled her majority to 14,115 votes.[7] Her majority increased to 15,046 votes in the 2014 election.[8]

Members of Parliament

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Unless otherwise stated, all MPs' terms began and ended at general elections.

Key   National   Labour

Election Winner
1963 election Rona Stevenson
1966 election
1969 election
1972 election Jack Ridley
1975 election Ray La Varis
1978 election Jack Ridley
1981 election Roger McClay
(Electorate abolished 1984–1996;
see Tongariro and Waikaremoana)
1996 election Mark Burton
1999 election
2002 election
2005 election
2008 election Louise Upston
2011 election
2014 election
2017 election
2020 election
2023 election

As of 2023 no candidates that have contested the Taupō electorate have been returned as list MPs.

Election results

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2023 election

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2023 general election: Taupō[9]
Notes:

Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent.
A  Y or  N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively.

Party Candidate Votes % ±% Party votes % ±%
National  Y Louise Upston 24,858 57.13 +8.23 19,966 45.34 +12.59
Labour Ala' Al-Bustanji 8,353 19.20 –17.84 9,686 21.99 –23.28
Green George Patena 3,441 7.90 +3.22 2,773 6.29 +2.49
ACT Zane Cozens 2,808 6.45 +2.17 4,960 11.26 +1.43
NZ First Tira Pehi 2,114 4.85 3,508 7.96 +5.18
NZ Loyal Gordon Wilson 1,410 3.24 961 2.18
Opportunities   644 1.46 +0.12
Te Pāti Māori   567 1.28 +0.85
NewZeal   208 0.47 +0.05
Legalise Cannabis   178 0.40 +0.03
Freedoms NZ   134 0.30
DemocracyNZ   75 0.17
New Conservatives   66 0.14 +1.40
Animal Justice   50 0.11
Leighton Baker Party   36 0.08
Women's Rights   26 0.05
New Nation   20 0.04
Informal votes 520 170
Total valid votes 43,504 44,028
National hold Majority 16,505 37.93 +26.32

2020 election

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2020 general election: Taupō[10]
Notes:

Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent.
A  Y or  N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively.

Party Candidate Votes % ±% Party votes % ±%
National  Y Louise Upston 21,102 48.90 −13.98 14,452 32.75 −21.19
Labour Ala' Al-Bustanji 15,983 37.04 +10.79 19,978 45.27 +16.29
Green Danna Glendining 2,018 4.68 −3.29 1,677 3.80 +0.36
ACT David Freeman 1,848 4.28 4,340 9.83 +9.35
Outdoors Michael Downard 645 1.49 −0.59 123 0.28 +0.11
New Conservative Jan-Marie Quinn 608 1.41 681 1.54 +1.27
Advance NZ Antoinette James 531 1.23 476 1.08
ONE Gary Coffin 415 0.96 184 0.42
NZ First   1,227 2.78 −6.24
Opportunities   592 1.34 −0.94
ONE   184 0.42
Legalise Cannabis   165 0.37 +0.07
Māori Party   195 0.43 −0.28
Outdoors   123 0.28 +0.11
Sustainable NZ   23 0.05
Vision NZ   23 0.05
Social Credit   14 0.03 ±0.00
TEA   9 0.02
Heartland   3 0.01
Informal votes 928 275
Total valid votes 44,078 44,406
Turnout 45,510 84.07
National hold Majority 5,119 11.61

2017 election

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2017 general election: Taupo[11]
Notes:

Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent.
A  Y or  N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively.

Party Candidate Votes % ±% Party votes % ±%
National  Y Louise Upston 24,611 61.84 -0.75 21,744 53.7 -3.24
Labour Ala Al-Bustanji 10,276 25.82 +5.18 11,683 28.9 +10.33
Green Julie Sandilands 3,118 7.83 +2.44 1,388 3.43 -2.69
Outdoors Alan Frank Simmons 814 2.05 68 0.17
Conservative Denis Shuker 321 0.81 -1.67 111 0.27 -4.48
NZ First   3,634 8.98 -1.28
Opportunities   918 2.27
Māori Party   262 0.65 -0.17
ACT   194 0.48 0.23
Legalise Cannabis   120 0.3 -0.11
Ban 1080   108 0.27 -0.34
People's Party   33 0.08
Mana   15 0.04 -0.48[a]
Democrats   13 0.03 -0.05
United Future   12 0.03 -0.23
Internet   6 0.01 -0.51[b]
Informal votes 658 151
Total valid votes 39,798 40,460
National hold Majority 14,335 36.02 -2.35

2014 election

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2014 general election: Taupō[12]
Notes:

Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent.
A  Y or  N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively.

Party Candidate Votes % ±% Party votes % ±%
National  Y Louise Upston 22,428 62.59 −1.06 20,703 56.94 +0.63
Labour Jamie Strange 7,402 20.64 −0.09 6,752 18.57 −1.71
NZ First Edwin Perry 2,310 6.44 +1.85 3,730 10.26 +1.87
Green Dave Robinson 1,934 5.39 −0.86 2,224 6.12 −1.43
Conservative Lance Gedge 891 2.48 −0.26 1,236 4.75 +1.09
Māori Party Claire Winitana 366 1.02 +1.02 298 0.82 +0.15
United Future Alan Simmons 143 0.40 −0.26 94 0.26 −0.66
Democrats John Pemberton 71 0.20 +0.20 29 0.08 +0.02
Ban 1080   223 0.61 +0.61
Internet Mana   190 0.52 +0.11
Legalise Cannabis   148 0.41 −0.06
ACT   91 0.25 −0.91
Civilian   13 0.03 +0.03
Independent Coalition   10 0.03 +0.03
Focus   7 0.02 +0.02
Informal votes 299 121
Total valid votes 35,384 36,362
National hold Majority 13,951 38.37 −4.55

2011 election

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2011 general election: Taupō[7]
Notes:

Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent.
A  Y or  N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively.

Party Candidate Votes % ±% Party votes % ±%
National  Y Louise Upston 20,934 63.65 +5.74 19,003 56.31 +2.74
Labour Frances Campbell 6,819 20.73 -18.71 6,844 20.28 -8.92
Green Zane McCarthy 2,056 6.25 +6.25 2,549 7.55 +3.05
NZ First Edwin Perry 1,508 4.59 +4.59 2,833 8.39 +3.25
Conservative Mark Breetvelt 900 2.74 +2.74 1,236 3.66 +3.66
Mana Keriana Reedy 266 0.81 +0.81 140 0.41 +0.41
United Future Alan Simmons 216 0.66 -0.42 311 0.92 +0.12
ACT Rosanne Jollands 190 0.58 +0.58 394 1.17 -2.34
Māori Party   226 0.67 -0.25
Legalise Cannabis   157 0.47 +0.13
Libertarianz   22 0.07 +0.03
Democrats   20 0.06 -0.01
Alliance   12 0.04 -0.02
Informal votes 721 239
Total valid votes 32,889 33,747
National hold Majority 14,115 42.92 +24.45

Electorate (as at 26 November 2011): 45,800[13]

2008 election

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2008 general election: Taupō[6]
Notes:

Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent.
A  Y or  N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively.

Party Candidate Votes % ±% Party votes % ±%
National Louise Upston 20,211 57.91 +16.84 19,001 53.57 +9.32
Labour  N Mark Burton 13,766 39.44 -6.06 10,359 29.20 -8.10
United Future Max Edwards 377 1.08 -0.98 284 0.80 -1.81
Independent Robbie Mac 313 0.90
Independent Martin Bloxham 236 0.68
NZ First   1,824 5.14 -2.61
Green   1,599 4.51 +0.80
ACT   1,245 3.51 +2.29
Māori Party   325 0.92 -0.23
Progressive   236 0.67 -0.30
Bill and Ben   199 0.56
Kiwi   133 0.37
Legalise Cannabis   119 0.34 +0.06
Family Party   61 0.17
Democrats   23 0.06 +0.01
Pacific   22 0.06
Alliance   20 0.06 +0.01
Libertarianz   13 0.04
Workers Party   6 0.02
RONZ   3 0.01
RAM   0 0.00
Informal votes 424 201
Total valid votes 34,903 35,472
Turnout 35,937 80.15 -0.09
National gain from Labour Majority 6,445 18.47 +22.90


2005 election

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2005 general election: Taupo[14]
Notes:

Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent.
A  Y or  N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively.

Party Candidate Votes % ±% Party votes % ±%
Labour  Y Mark Burton 13,211 45.50 -10.12 10,977 37.30 -2.30
National Weston Kirton 11,926 41.07 +12.15 13,020 44.25 +22.34
NZ First Kristin Campbell Smith 1,337 4.60 2,281 7.75 -5.59
Green John Davis 751 2.59 -2.50 1,093 3.71 -1.68
United Future Paul Check 598 2.06 -1.20 769 2.61 -2.99
Māori Party Billy Maea 501 1.73 338 1.15
ACT Andrew Jollands 275 0.75 -3.23 358 1.22 -5.03
Destiny Charles Te Kowhai 260 0.90 142 0.48
Progressive David Reeks 167 0.58 -0.40 285 0.97 -0.58
RONZ Debra Potroz 11 0.04 2 0.01
Legalise Cannabis   82 0.28 -0.22
Christian Heritage   24 0.08
Alliance   15 0.05 -5.49
Democrats   15 0.05
Libertarianz   12 0.04
Family Rights   5 0.02
Direct Democracy   4 0.01
99 MP   2 0.01
One NZ   2 0.01 -0.04
Informal votes 207 95
Total valid votes 29,037 29,426
Turnout 29,722 80.24 +4.48
Labour hold Majority 1,285 4.43 -22.27

2002 election

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2002 general election: Taupo[15]
Notes:

Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent.
A  Y or  N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively.

Party Candidate Votes % ±% Party votes % ±%
Labour  Y Mark Burton 14,851 55.62 +6.20 10,775 39.60 +0.74
National Weston Kirton 7,723 28.92 -7.61 5,961 21.91 -11.67
Green Nicholas Fisher 1,359 5.09 +1.50 1,467 5.39 +0.37
ACT Diane Mulcock 1,062 3.98 +0.82 1,700 6.25 -0.81
United Future Denis Gilmore 871 3.26 1,523 5.60 +3.99a
Christian Heritage Donald Wishart 360 1.35 -0.74 292 1.07 -0.80
Progressive Victor Bradley 261 0.98 426 1.55
Alliance John Harré 214 0.80 -1.52 193 0.73 -4.81
NZ First   3,629 13.34 +8.81
ORNZ   1,072 3.94
Legalise Cannabis   137 0.50 -0.45
Mana Māori   19 0.07 +0.01
One NZ   13 0.05 -0.01
NMP   1 0.00 -0.03
Informal votes 371 85
Total valid votes 26,701 27,210
Turnout 27,538 75.76
Labour hold Majority 7,128 26.70 +13.81
a United Future swing is compared to the 1999 results of United NZ and Future NZ, who merged in 2000.

1999 election

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1999 general election: Taupo[16][17]
Notes:

Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent.
A  Y or  N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively.

Party Candidate Votes % ±% Party votes % ±%
Labour  Y Mark Burton 13,721 49.42 10,876 38.86
National David Steele 10,143 36.53 9,399 33.58
Green Nick Fisher 997 3.59 1,405 5.02
ACT Richard Steele 877 3.16 1,976 7.06
NZ First Ross Honeyfield 718 2.59 1,269 4.53
Alliance Wayne Morris 644 2.32 1,550 5.54
Christian Heritage John van der Zee 580 2.09 524 1.87
Mauri Pacific Rovina Anderson 51 0.18 20 0.71
Mana Wahine Makere Rangitoheriri 34 0.12
Future NZ 341 1.22
Legalise Cannabis   265 0.95
Libertarianz   111 0.40
United NZ   110 0.39
McGillicuddy Serious   41 0.15
Animals First   36 0.13
One NZ   17 0.06
Mana Māori   16 0.06
Natural Law   8 0.03
NMP   8 0.03
Freedom Movement 6 0.02
People's Choice 5 0.02
Republican   3 0.01
South Island   0 0.00
Informal votes 514 293
Total valid votes 27,765 27,986
Labour hold Majority 3,578 12.89

1981 election

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1981 general election: Taupo[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Roger McClay 6,883 38.44
Labour Jack Ridley 6,847 38.24 −3.87
Social Credit Jim Elder 4,175 23.31 +6.76
Majority 36 0.20
Turnout 17,905 86.32 +19.62
Registered electors 20,742
  • Result as declared by the High Court after an electoral petition.

1978 election

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1978 general election: Taupo[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jack Ridley 7,119 42.11 +2.22
National Lesley A. Miller 6,510 38.51
Social Credit Jim Elder 2,798 16.55
Values Warwick Keys 477 2.82
Majority 609 3.60
Turnout 16,904 66.70 −13.86
Registered electors 25,341

1975 election

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1975 general election: Taupo[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Ray La Varis 8,821 48.82
Labour Jack Ridley 7,207 39.89 −9.72
Social Credit Dorothy Gould 1,177 6.51
Values John Grant 862 4.77
Majority 1,614 8.93
Turnout 18,067 80.56 −7.52
Registered electors 22,425

1972 election

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1972 general election: Taupo[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jack Ridley 7,484 49.61
National James Frederick Higgins 6,701 44.42
Social Credit Robert Smith 711 4.71
New Democratic N D Fairweather 111 0.73
Liberal Reform P M Fenton 76 0.50
Majority 783 5.19
Turnout 15,083 88.08 +0.39
Registered electors 17,123

1969 election

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1969 general election: Taupo[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Rona Stevenson 7,148 46.16 +1.14
Labour Arthur John Ingram 7,041 45.46
Social Credit H M New 1,296 8.36
Majority 107 0.69 −1.06
Turnout 15,485 87.69 +0.42
Registered electors 17,658

1966 election

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1966 general election: Taupo[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Rona Stevenson 6,608 45.02 +3.16
Labour Barry Gustafson 6,350 43.26
Social Credit J C Dunn 1,719 11.71
Majority 258 1.75 −0.17
Turnout 14,677 87.27 −2.17
Registered electors 16,817

In 1966 National, afraid the seat would go to Labour, poured thousands of dollars into the local campaign. A hundred women from all over Waikato canvassed every house in Tokoroa and Putāruru over two days, using the street lists and blue dot system. The seat was held by 258 votes.[19]

1963 election

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1963 general election: Taupo[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Rona Stevenson 5,995 41.86
Labour Arthur John Ingram 5,720 39.94
Social Credit C R Watson 1,093 7.63
Majority 275 1.92
Turnout 12,808 89.44
Registered electors 14,319

Notes

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  1. ^ 2017 Mana Party swing is relative to the votes for Internet-Mana in 2014; it shared a party list with the Internet Party in the 2014 election
  2. ^ 2017 Internet Party swing is relative to the votes for Internet-Mana in 2014; it shared a party list with Mana Party in the 2014 election

References

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  1. ^ a b "Rimutaka electorate profile". Parliamentary Library. June 2015. Retrieved 13 January 2017.  This article incorporates text by the Parliamentary Library available under the CC BY 3.0 license.
  2. ^ Report of the Representation Commission 2007 (PDF). Representation Commission. 14 September 2007. p. 9. ISBN 978-0-477-10414-2. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
  3. ^ Report of the Representation Commission 2014 (PDF). Representation Commission. 4 April 2014. p. 9. ISBN 978-0-477-10414-2. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
  4. ^ "Report of the Representation Commission 2020" (PDF). 17 April 2020.
  5. ^ "MP keen to get cracking". Waikato Times. 10 November 2008. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
  6. ^ a b "Official Count Results – Taupō". Chief Electoral Office. 22 November 2008. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
  7. ^ a b "Official Count Results – Taupō". Electoral Commission. 10 December 2011. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
  8. ^ "Official Count Results – Taupō". Electoral Commission. 10 October 2014. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
  9. ^ New Zealand Electoral Commission. "Taupō - Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  10. ^ New Zealand Electoral Commission. "Taupō - Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
  11. ^ "Official Count Results -- Taupo". Wellington: New Zealand Electoral Commission. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  12. ^ "Official Count Results – Taupō". Electoral Commission. 10 December 2014. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
  13. ^ "Enrolment statistics". Electoral Commission. 26 November 2011. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
  14. ^ "Official Count Results – Taupo". Electionresults.org.nz. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  15. ^ "Official Count Results – Taupo". Electionresults.govt.nz. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  16. ^ "Official Count Results (1999) – Electoral Votes for registered parties by electorate". NZ Electoral Commission. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  17. ^ "Official Count Results (1999) – Candidate Vote Details". NZ Electoral Commission. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  18. ^ a b c d e f g Norton 1988, p. 358.
  19. ^ Gustafson, Barry (1986). The First 50 Years: A History of the New Zealand National Party. Auckland: Reed Methuen. pp. 91, 280. ISBN 0-474-00177-6.
  • Norton, Clifford (1988). New Zealand Parliamentary Election Results 1946–1987: Occasional Publications No 1, Department of Political Science. Wellington: Victoria University of Wellington. ISBN 0-475-11200-8.
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