# West Auckland (New Zealand electorate)

West Auckland is a former New Zealand parliamentary electorate on the western outskirts of Auckland, created for the 1984 election from part of the former Helensville electorate. The electorate was abolished for the 1993 election, and split between Henderson and Waitakere electorates.

## Population centres

The 1981 census had shown that the North Island had experienced further population growth, and three additional general seats were created through the 1983 electoral redistribution, bringing the total number of electorates to 95. The South Island had, for the first time, experienced a population loss, but its number of general electorates was fixed at 25 since the 1967 electoral redistribution. More of the South Island population was moving to Christchurch, and two electorates were abolished, while two electorates were recreated. In the North Island, six electorates were newly created (including West Auckland), three electorates were recreated, and six electorates were abolished.
In 1984 the electorate included Kumeū, Hobsonville, Henderson, Rānui and Waitakere; much of the area had previously been in the southern part of the Helensville electorate. In 1987 it was moved to the south, losing Hobsonville and much of Kumeū while gaining Titirangi and Piha.

## History

Jack Elder of the Labour Party was elected in 1984 as West Auckland electorate's representative; he had in the previous two elections stood unsuccessfully in the Helensville electorate. When the West Auckland electorate was abolished in 1993, Elder successfully stood in the Henderson electorate.

### Members of Parliament

Key
Labour
| Election | Winner |
| 1984 election | Jack Elder |
| 1987 election | Jack Elder |
| 1990 election | Jack Elder |
| Electorate abolished in 1993 (see Henderson) |||

## Election results
### 1990 election

1990 general election: West Auckland :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jack Elder | 6,949 | 39.35 | −8.00 |
| | National | Laurie Wicks | 6,697 | 37.92 | |
| | Green | Carolynne Anne Stone | 1,821 | 10.31 | |
| | NewLabour | Paul Whinray | 980 | 5.54 | |
| | Independent | Tim Shadbolt | 541 | 3.06 | |
| | Independent National | Patrick Joseph Fallon | 311 | 1.76 | |
| | Democrats | Rodney Wilson | 223 | 1.26 | |
| | McGillicuddy Serious | John Errol Way | 89 | 0.50 | |
| | Independent | John David Howard | 48 | 0.27 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 252 | 1.42 | −12.90 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 17,659 | 80.44 | −3.72 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 21,952 | | |

### 1987 election

1987 general election: West Auckland :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jack Elder | 9,404 | 47.35 | +0.99 |
| | National | Ben Couch | 6,560 | 33.03 | |
| | Democrats | Clark James | 590 | 2.97 | |
| | NZ Party | Gray Philips | 101 | 0.50 | |
| | Independent | R R Wahrlrich | 59 | 0.29 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,844 | 14.32 | +3.93 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 16,714 | 84.16 | −8.10 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 19,858 | | |

### 1984 election

1984 general election: West Auckland :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Jack Elder | 10,369 | 48.34 |
| | National | Dail Jones | 8,140 | 37.95 |
| | NZ Party | Ashok Patel | 1,901 | 8.86 |
| | Social Credit | Mike Webber | 965 | 4.49 |
| | Independent | S I Clews | 52 | 0.24 |
| | Mana Motuhake | N Te Hira | 21 | 0.09 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,229 | 10.39 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,448 | 92.26 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 23,247 | |