Historically it has often been regarded as one of the safest New Zealand Labour Party seats in the entire country.[2][3] From its creation for the 1996 election until 2023, it was held by Damien O'Connor of the Labour Party, with the exception of one parliamentary term under National's Chris Auchinvole (between 2008 and 2011). Pugh's narrow victory in 2023 (915 votes) was considered a major upset, with the third-place independent candidacy of Patrick Phelps splitting the vote in her favour.[4][5]
Population centres
West Coast-Tasman is the largest general electorate in New Zealand, covering 32,758 km2 (12,648 sq mi).[6] It is one of the longest. The Representation Commission last adjusted the boundaries in the 2007 review, which first applied at the 2008 election, when the northern boundary moved closer to Nelson, and Wakefield, Foxhill and Belgrove were added.[7] The electorate was not changed in the 2013/14 review.[8]Brightwater was added from Nelson at the 2020 redistribution.[9]
The electorate includes the following population centres:
Damien O'Connor was the first representative and he held the electorate until the 2008 general election, when he was beaten by National candidate Chris Auchinvole, who had previously been a list MP. Auchinvole's majority was 971.[10] His position on the Labour Party list meant that O'Connor couldn't return to Parliament immediately. When the list MP Michael Cullen retired in May 2009, O'Connor regained his position as Member of the House of Representatives because he was the highest-ranked candidate on the list not already an MP.[11] In contrast to the overall trend, he regained the electorate in the 2011 election.[12]
Auchinvole retired from politics at the end of the 2011–2014 parliamentary term, and former Mayor of Westland District, Maureen Pugh, gained the nomination for the National Party.[13][14] O'Connor was once again successful. Based on preliminary results for the 2014 election, Pugh was the lowest-ranked National Party list member who was returned to Parliament,[15][16] but when the final results were released two weeks later, National had lost one list seat and Pugh did not get returned to Parliament.[17]
Members of Parliament
West Coast-Tasman has been represented by two electorate MPs so far:
Members of Parliament elected from party lists in elections where that person also unsuccessfully contested the West Coast-Tasman electorate. Unless otherwise stated, all MPs terms began and ended at general elections.
1In the 2008 election Damien O'Connor's list position of 37 meant he was not returned until Michael Cullen resigned in May 2009. 2Kevin Hague resigned from Parliament on 7 October 2016. 3Maureen Pugh's list position of 52 meant she became elected after Tim Groser resigned in December 2015. She assumed office in early 2016 and was not returned to Parliament at the 2017 election, until the resignation of Bill English. 4Maureen Pugh's list position of 44 meant she became elected after Bill English resigned in February 2018. She assumed office in early 2018.
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.
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.
