Through an amendment in the Electoral Act in 1965, the number of electorates in the
South Island was fixed at 25, an increase of one since the 1962 electoral redistribution.[1] It was accepted that through the more rapid population growth in the
North Island, the number of its electorates would continue to increase, and to keep proportionality, three new electorates were allowed for in the 1967 electoral redistribution for the next election.[2] In the North Island, five electorates were newly created and one electorate was reconstituted while three electorates were abolished.[3] In the South Island, three electorates were newly created and one electorate was reconstituted while three electorates were abolished (including Waitaki).[4] The overall effect of the required changes was highly disruptive to existing electorates, with all but three electorates having their boundaries altered.[5] These changes came into effect with the
1969 election.[2]
This current Waitaki electorate is the successor to parts of the old
Otago electorate, with parts of central Otago moving into
Clutha-Southland, and the boundary extended far up the South Canterbury coast, to just outside
Timaru. The electorate was last re-established for the
2008 election. The
2006 census showed that there has been a general northwards population movement. Even though the number of South Island electorates is fixed, the decline in the population of electorates from
Rakaia south has resulted in the boundaries of electorates from
Invercargill north to Rakaia shifting northwards. However, Waitaki ended up over quota in the
2013 census and redistribution resulted in all communities south of and including
Herbert being ceded to
Dunedin North.[6] Waitaki contracted again in the 2020 redistribution, gaining the
Waitati area from
Dunedin North, but losing a large section of land around Alexandra to
Southland.[7]
The largest town in the electorate is
Oamaru (pop. 14,000). Other towns include
Geraldine (2,970),
Twizel (1,850),
Wānaka (12,400),
Waimate (3,590) and
Cromwell (7,160)
The first election in the electorate was contested by
William Steward and Macassey in
1871, with Steward being successful.[9]
The next election was held in early January 1876. Waitaki had become a two-member electorate, and four candidates put their names forward. Steward and Joseph O'Meagher contested the election as abolitionists (i.e. they were in favour of abolishing the
provincial government), while
Thomas William Hislop and
Samuel Shrimski were provincialists (i.e. they favoured the retention of provincial government).[10] The provincialists won the election by quite some margin.[11]
William Steward, who was the first representative of the electorate, had since 1881 represented
Waimate. He returned to Waitaki for the 1893 election, was successful and also won the five subsequent elections. He held the electorate until 1911. He was appointed to the
Legislative Council in the following year, but died within months of the appointment.[21]
Francis Henry Smith succeeded Steward in the
1911 election. At the next election in
1914, Smith stood unsuccessfully in the
Timaru electorate. The Waitaki electorate was won by
John Anstey that year. At the
1919 election, Anstey was defeated by
John Bitchener, who held Waitaki until he was defeated in the
1935 election by
David Barnes. Barnes, in turn, held the electorate for one parliamentary term and was defeated in the
1938 election by
David Campbell Kidd. At the final count, Kidd had a majority of 10 votes, and Barnes applied for a magisterial recount; this increased the 1938 result to a majority of 14 votes.[22] Kidd represented Waitaki until 1946, when the electorate was abolished and he successfully stood in
Waimate instead.
Waitaki was re-established for the
1957 election and was won by
Thomas Hayman, who had previously represented
Oamaru. Hayman died in office on 2 January 1962 and was succeeded by
Allan Dick, who won the
1962 by-election. Dick held the electorate until 1969, when it was abolished again.
With the advent of
Mixed-member proportional representation (MMP) voting system in 1996 and the resulting reduction in the number of constituencies, the electorate was split in half; the town of
Oamaru was pulled into the resized
Otago electorate and the balance was transferred into the new
Aoraki electorate.
The Waitaki electorate was re-established for the
2008 election, and
Jacqui Dean, incumbent since the
2005 election in the
Otago electorate won the election with a large majority against Labour's
David Parker.[23] Dean increased her majority in the
2011 election against Labour's Barry Monks.[24] Dean was confirmed as the electorate's representative in the
2014 election.[25]
Members of Parliament elected from party lists in elections where that person also unsuccessfully contested the Waitaki electorate. Unless otherwise stated, all MPs terms began and ended at general elections.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Norton, Clifford (1988). New Zealand parliamentary election results, 1946–1987. Wellington: Victoria University of Wellington Department of Political Science.
ISBN0-475-11200-8.
McRobie, Alan (1989). Electoral Atlas of New Zealand. Wellington: GP Books.
ISBN0-477-01384-8.
Scholefield, Guy (1925) [1913]. New Zealand parliamentary record. Wellington: Govt. Printer.
Scholefield, Guy (1950) [1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1949 (3rd ed.). Wellington: Govt. Printer.
Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer.
OCLC154283103.