# Onehunga (New Zealand electorate)

Onehunga, initially with the formal name of Town of Onehunga, is a former New Zealand parliamentary electorate in the south of the city of Auckland. Between 1861 and 1881, and between 1938 and 1996, it was represented by seven Members of Parliament. It was a stronghold for the Labour Party.

## Population centres

In the 1860 electoral redistribution, the House of Representatives increased the number of representatives by 12, reflecting the immense population growth since the original electorates were established in 1853. The redistribution created 15 additional electorates with between one and three members, and Onehunga was one of the single-member electorates. The electorates were distributed to provinces so that every province had at least two members. Within each province, the number of registered electors by electorate varied greatly.
The 1931 New Zealand census had been cancelled due to the Great Depression, so the 1937 electoral redistribution had to take ten years of population growth into account. The increasing population imbalance between the North and South Islands had slowed, and only one electorate seat was transferred from south to north. Five electorates were abolished, one former electorate (Onehunga) was re-established, and four electorates were created for the first time.
The electorate was urban, and comprised a number of suburbs in the southern part of Auckland.

## History

The electorate existed in the 19th century from 1861 to 1871 as Town of Onehunga, and then from 1871 to 1881 as Onehunga. For the whole period the seat was held by George O'Rorke, who became Speaker of the House of Representatives in 1879.
Onehunga was recreated in 1938, and lasted to 1996. With the introduction of MMP in 1996, Onehunga and Panmure were combined into the new electorate of Maungakiekie.
Except for 1990–1993, Onehunga was held by Labour from its 1938 recreation.

### Members of Parliament

The Onehunga electorate was represented by seven Members of Parliament.
Key
Independent  Labour  National
| Election | Winner |
| (electorate established as Town of Onehunga in 1860) |||
| 1861 election | George O'Rorke |
| 1866 election | George O'Rorke |
| (electorate renamed Onehunga in 1871) |||
| 1871 election | George O'Rorke |
| 1875 election | George O'Rorke |
| 1879 election | George O'Rorke |
| (Electorate abolished 1881–1938) |||
| 1938 election | Arthur Osborne |
| 1943 election | Arthur Osborne |
| 1946 election | Arthur Osborne |
| 1949 election | Arthur Osborne |
| 1951 election | Arthur Osborne |
| 1953 by-election | Hugh Watt |
| 1954 election | Hugh Watt |
| 1957 election | Hugh Watt |
| 1960 election | Hugh Watt |
| 1963 election | Hugh Watt |
| 1966 election | Hugh Watt |
| 1969 election | Hugh Watt |
| 1972 election | Hugh Watt |
| 1975 election | Frank Rogers |
| 1978 election | Frank Rogers |
| 1980 by-election | Fred Gerbic |
| 1981 election | Fred Gerbic |
| 1984 election | Fred Gerbic |
| 1987 election | Fred Gerbic |
| 1990 election | Grahame Thorne |
| 1993 election | Richard Northey |
| (Electorate abolished in 1996; see Maungakiekie) |||

## Election results
### 1993 election

1993 general election: Onehunga :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Richard Northey | 7,183 | 35.54 | |
| | National | Grahame Thorne | 6,776 | 33.53 | −9.62 |
| | Alliance | Matt Robson | 3,503 | 17.33 | |
| | NZ First | Ian Shearer | 2,132 | 10.55 | |
| | Christian Heritage | Barry Paterson | 318 | 1.57 | |
| | McGillicuddy Serious | Richard Foster | 110 | 0.54 | |
| | Natural Law | Bryan Lee | 95 | 0.47 | |
| | Independent | Warwick Jordan | 89 | 0.44 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 407 | 2.01 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 20,206 | 84.44 | +9.28 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 23,929 | | |

### 1990 election

1990 general election: Onehunga :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National | Grahame Thorne | 8,290 | 43.15 | |
| | Labour | Fred Gerbic | 7,678 | 39.96 | −16.29 |
| | Green | Laurie Ross | 1,909 | 9.93 | |
| | NewLabour | Mark Philip | 1,016 | 5.28 | |
| | Social Credit | Janice Matthews | 170 | 0.88 | |
| | Democrats | Arthur Drabble | 148 | 0.77 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 612 | 3.18 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 19,211 | 75.16 | −9.22 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 25,557 | | |

### 1987 election

1987 general election: Onehunga :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Fred Gerbic | 10,753 | 56.25 | +5.01 |
| | National | Andrew Stanley | 7,424 | 38.84 | |
| | Democrats | Thomas Keith Park | 937 | 4.90 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,329 | 17.41 | −2.93 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 19,114 | 84.38 | −5.17 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 22,652 | | |

### 1984 election

1984 general election: Onehunga :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Fred Gerbic | 11,354 | 51.24 | +3.97 |
| | National | Carol Freeman | 6,846 | 30.90 | |
| | NZ Party | Peter Blakeborogh | 2,894 | 13.06 | |
| | Social Credit | Deborah Maree Terei | 841 | 3.79 | |
| | Values | Ruth Helen Gardner Symons | 137 | 0.61 | |
| | Independent | Stanley Lusby | 83 | 0.37 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,508 | 20.34 | +9.69 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 22,155 | 89.55 | +1.54 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 24,740 | | |

### 1981 election

1981 general election: Onehunga :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Fred Gerbic | 8,925 | 47.27 | −0.85 |
| | National | Sue Wood | 6,913 | 36.61 | −2.63 |
| | Social Credit | Stuart Perry | 3,040 | 16.10 | +15.11 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,012 | 10.65 | +1.78 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 18,878 | 88.01 | +37.78 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 21,451 | | |

### 1980 by-election

1980 Onehunga by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Fred Gerbic | 6,543 | 48.12 | |
| | National | Sue Wood | 5,336 | 39.24 | |
| | Social Credit | Thomas Keith Park | 1,535 | 11.29 | −0.06 |
| | Independent | Stuart Perry | 134 | 0.99 | |
| | Cheer Up | Vince Terreni | 35 | 0.26 | |
| | Imperial British Conservative | Max Overton | 17 | 0.13 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,207 | 8.87 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,600 | 50.23 | −10.04 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 27,071 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### 1978 election

1978 general election: Onehunga :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Frank Rogers | 8,837 | 46.99 | +0.86 |
| | National | Barrie Hutchinson | 7,420 | 39.45 | |
| | Social Credit | Thomas Keith Park | 2,135 | 11.35 | |
| | Values | Dianne Paton | 390 | 2.07 | |
| | National Socialist | Colin King-Ansell | 22 | 0.11 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,417 | 7.53 | +1.71 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 18,804 | 60.27 | −15.94 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 31,199 | | |

### 1975 election

1975 general election: Onehunga :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Frank Rogers | 8,264 | 46.13 | |
| | National | Kevin O'Brien | 7,220 | 40.30 | |
| | Social Credit | Judy Charlton | 1,264 | 7.05 | |
| | Values | Jack Frost | 1,129 | 6.30 | |
| | Socialist Unity | John Willis | 35 | 0.19 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,044 | 5.82 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 17,912 | 76.21 | −10.46 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 23,501 | | |

### 1972 election

1972 general election: Onehunga :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Hugh Watt | 10,053 | 58.67 | −1.23 |
| | National | Peter Blakeborough | 5,218 | 30.45 | |
| | Social Credit | Alf Benson | 1,669 | 9.74 | +1.15 |
| | New Democratic | Arthur Bree | 194 | 1.13 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,835 | 28.21 | −0.19 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 17,134 | 86.67 | +0.01 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 19,767 | | |

### 1969 election

1969 general election: Onehunga :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Hugh Watt | 9,574 | 59.90 | +1.38 |
| | National | Daphne Double | 5,035 | 31.50 | +2.83 |
| | Social Credit | Alf Benson | 1,373 | 8.59 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,539 | 28.40 | −1.45 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 15,982 | 85.66 | −1.86 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 18,657 | | |

### 1966 election

1966 general election: Onehunga :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Hugh Watt | 8,361 | 58.52 | −4.61 |
| | National | Daphne Double | 4,096 | 28.67 | |
| | Social Credit | James Robinson | 1,828 | 12.79 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,265 | 29.85 | −3.98 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,285 | 83.80 | −5.10 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 17,045 | | |

### 1963 election

1963 general election: Onehunga :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Hugh Watt | 9,567 | 63.13 | −1.96 |
| | National | J P Mason | 4,440 | 29.29 | |
| | Social Credit | John Clarence Leitch | 741 | 4.88 | +0.93 |
| | Liberal | W F Lauder | 274 | 1.80 | |
| | Communist | Stan Hieatt | 132 | 0.87 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,127 | 33.83 | −1.03 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 15,154 | 88.90 | +9.73 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 17,045 | | |

### 1960 election

1960 general election: Onehunga :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Hugh Watt | 8,785 | 65.09 | −2.23 |
| | National | Paul Brian Phillips | 4,080 | 30.23 | |
| | Social Credit | John Clarence Leitch | 534 | 3.95 | |
| | Communist | Donald McEwan | 97 | 0.71 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,705 | 34.86 | −4.39 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,496 | 79.17 | −14.48 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 17,045 | | |

### 1957 election

1957 general election: Onehunga :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Hugh Watt | 9,752 | 67.32 | +4.83 |
| | National | Donald Watson | 4,066 | 28.07 | |
| | Social Credit | George Alexander Pealing | 667 | 4.60 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,686 | 39.25 | +8.89 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,485 | 93.65 | +2.16 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 15,466 | | |

### 1954 election

1954 general election: Onehunga :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Hugh Watt | 9,033 | 62.49 | −4.50 |
| | National | Alfred E. Allen | 4,644 | 32.12 | |
| | Social Credit | Ernest Richard James | 777 | 5.37 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,389 | 30.36 | −3.61 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,454 | 91.49 | +28.01 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 15,797 | | |

### 1953 by-election

1953 Onehunga by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Hugh Watt | 6,868 | 66.99 | |
| | National | Leonard Bradley | 3,385 | 33.01 | −10.01 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 13 | 0.13 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,483 | 33.97 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,749 | 63.48 | −23.51 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 16,171 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### 1951 election

1951 general election: Onehunga :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Arthur Osborne | 8,017 | 56.98 | −0.31 |
| | National | Leonard Bradley | 6,051 | 43.02 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,966 | 13.97 | −1.99 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,068 | 86.99 | −5.02 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 16,171 | | |

### 1949 election

1949 general election: Onehunga :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Arthur Osborne | 8,255 | 57.29 | −5.06 |
| | National | Alan A. Coates | 5,955 | 41.33 | |
| | Communist | Roy Stanley | 198 | 1.37 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,300 | 15.96 | −8.75 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,408 | 92.01 | −2.21 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 15,658 | | |

### 1946 election

1946 general election: Onehunga :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Arthur Osborne | 8,639 | 62.35 | +6.67 |
| | National | William Kenneth King | 5,215 | 37.64 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,424 | 24.71 | +4.13 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,854 | 94.22 | +5.07 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 14,703 | | |

### 1943 election

1943 general election: Onehunga :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Arthur Osborne | 8,993 | 55.68 | −8.88 |
| | National | John Park | 5,704 | 35.31 | +0.36 |
| | Democratic Labour | Norman Douglas | 1,099 | 6.80 | |
| | Real Democracy | Theodore Edwin Somerville | 287 | 1.77 | |
| | People's Movement | Louis Edgar Read | 67 | 0.41 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 115 | 0.71 | +0.21 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,324 | 20.58 | −9.00 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 16,150 | 89.15 | −3.62 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 18,115 | | |

### 1938 election

1938 general election: Onehunga :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Arthur Osborne | 9,412 | 64.56 |
| | National | John Park | 5,098 | 34.95 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 73 | 0.50 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,314 | 29.58 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,583 | 92.77 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 15,718 | |