Piako (New Zealand electorate)

For the river after which the electorate was named, see Piako River.

Piako was a New Zealand parliamentary electorate established in 1946. It was last held by Lindsay Tisch MP[1] from 2002 to 2008.

Population centres

The 1941 census had been postponed due to World War II, so the 1946 electoral redistribution had to take ten years of population growth and movements into account. The North Island gained a further two electorates from the South Island due to faster population growth. The abolition of the country quota through the Electoral Amendment Act, 1945 reduced the number and increased the size of rural electorates. None of the existing electorates remained unchanged, 27 electorates were abolished, eight former electorates were re-established, and 19 electorates were created for the first time, including Piako.[2]

The electorate included the population centres of Matamata, Cambridge, Morrinsville, Te Aroha, Waharoa, Waitoa, Waharoa, Huntly, Ngaruawahia, and Ohaupo.[3]

History

Piako was a rural Waikato electorate from 1946 to 1954, then from 1957 to 1978, when it was renamed Matamata.[4] Piako was resurrected for the 2002 election, replacing Karapiro.

Under boundary changes for the 2008 election, Piako ceased to exist as an electorate. Its population centres were distributed between the neighbouring seats of Hunua and Papakura. Officially, Piako was replaced on paper by the seat of Waikato.

Piako and its predecessors have always been considered safe National electorates. The Piako electorate was held by Jack Luxton from 1966 to 1978, when he transferred to the Matamata electorate.[5]

When the Piako electorate was re-created for the 2002 election, it was won by Lindsay Tisch, who had previously held the Karapiro electorate. Tisch served until the electorate was abolished in 2008, and transferred to the Waikato electorate.[6]

Members of Parliament

Key

 National  

Election Winner
1946 election William Goosman
1949 election
1951 election
(Electorate abolished 1954–1957, see Waipa)
1957 election William Goosman
1960 election
1963 election Geoffrey Sim
1966 election Jack Luxton
1969 election
1972 election
1975 election
(Electorate abolished 1978–2002, see Matamata)
2002 election Lindsay Tisch
2005 election
(Electorate abolished 2008)

Notes

References

External links