Botany by-election, 2011
Encyclopedia
A by-election
was held in the New Zealand
electorate of Botany
on 5 March 2011. The seat was vacated by former National Ethnic Affairs Minister Pansy Wong
, who announced her resignation from the New Zealand Parliament
on 14 December 2010 following allegations her husband Sammy has misused taxpayer money in relation to overseas travel.
The seat was won by Jami-Lee Ross
, retaining the seat for the New Zealand National Party
but with a 27% reduction in majority.
was created shortly before the 2008 election
and is considered a safe National seat. A third of the population is born overseas and it has a large Chinese population.
Wong won the seat with 17382 (56.22%) votes in the 2008 general election. Labour candidate Koro Tawa was runner-up with 6510 (21.06%) and ACT's Kenneth Wang
on 4717 (15.26%). Party votes were National 19355 (61.25%), Labour 7958 (25.18%) and Act 1528 (4.84%).
has selected Jami-Lee Ross
, a member of the Auckland Council
representing Howick, as their candidate. He was selected from a shortlist of five candidates, the other four being former Auckland City
councillor Aaron Bhatnagar, media presenter Maggie Barry
, Elim Christian College
teacher Darron Gedge, and health research scientist Edward Saafi.
A total of twelve people had initially put their names forward for the nomination. The list was not released, but was reported to include Denise Krum (a National Party official and former president of United Future), Ram Rai (a National Party official), Ken Yee (former Manukau City councillor and unsuccessful candidate for Manukau East
), Youngshin Watkins, and Daniel Newman. Other names that had been mentioned in speculation include current list MP Melissa Lee
(who unsuccessfully contested the Mount Albert by-election
earlier in the parliamentary term), party official Kit Parkinson, and Howick Local Board chairman Michael Williams.
lecturer and Counties Manukau DHB member Lyn Murphy. Murphy calls herself a centrist, who is to the left of Ross and to the right of Wood. She has long championed ACT’s values of smaller Government and greater transparency and accountability. Murphy championed the undergrounding of power lines with success in Bradbury Rd and Cockle Bay, the protection of the Emilia Maude Nixon Garden of Memories, and the restoration of Mangemangeroa Reserve.
has selected Michael Wood, Puketapapa Local Board member, as their candidate. The other two people contesting the nomination were Roy Bootle and David Collings. Collings withdrew before the selection process was completed. Koro Tawa, who contested the seat in the previous general election and had already been selected to contest it in the next one, was reported to be seeking the nomination for the by-election as well, but in the end, was not reported as one of the candidates being considered.
selected Richard Leckinger, a former ministerial advisor and researcher at Parliament. However, he was stuck in traffic and could not submit the nomination form in time.
The Pirate Party
selected Hussain Al-Saady, a recent university graduate.
The recently-founded New Citizen Party
selected businessman Paul Young.
Independents include veteran campaigner Penny Bright,
translator and former candidate for Puketapapa Local Board Robert Goh, and former candidate for mayor Wayne Young
Meanwhile, National warned against being complacent and taking the election for granted.
Paul Young wants 10% GST
, "traditional values in the education system" and "respect for elders".
Bright again campaigned on her theme of open, transparent and democratically accountable governments. She condemned the planned partial privatisation of state assets, saying "partial privatisation is like partial pregnancy – there is no such thing".
Wayne Young, made homeless by the leaky homes crisis
, wants building standards to be strengthened.
The Pirate Party left its campaign to the last minute, handing out fliers at 6pm on the day before the election.
New Zealand by-elections
By-elections in New Zealand occur to fill vacant seats in the New Zealand Parliament. The death, resignation, or expulsion of a sitting electorate MP can cause a by-election...
was held in the New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
electorate of Botany
Botany (New Zealand electorate)
Botany is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, returning one Member of Parliament to the New Zealand House of Representatives. It was contested for the first time at the 2008 general election, and won by Pansy Wong for the National Party...
on 5 March 2011. The seat was vacated by former National Ethnic Affairs Minister Pansy Wong
Pansy Wong
Pansy Yu Fong Wong is a former New Zealand politician. She was New Zealand's first Asian MP, serving as a member of parliament for the National Party from 1996 to 2011...
, who announced her resignation from the New Zealand Parliament
Parliament of New Zealand
The Parliament of New Zealand consists of the Queen of New Zealand and the New Zealand House of Representatives and, until 1951, the New Zealand Legislative Council. The House of Representatives is often referred to as "Parliament".The House of Representatives usually consists of 120 Members of...
on 14 December 2010 following allegations her husband Sammy has misused taxpayer money in relation to overseas travel.
The seat was won by Jami-Lee Ross
Jami-Lee Ross
Jami-Lee Ross is a New Zealand National Party Member of Parliament for Botany, having won the 2011 Botany by-election on 5 March.-Early life:...
, retaining the seat for the New Zealand National Party
New Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
but with a 27% reduction in majority.
Demographics and election history
The Botany electorateBotany (New Zealand electorate)
Botany is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, returning one Member of Parliament to the New Zealand House of Representatives. It was contested for the first time at the 2008 general election, and won by Pansy Wong for the National Party...
was created shortly before the 2008 election
New Zealand general election, 2008
The 2008 New Zealand general election was held on 8 November 2008 to determine the composition of the 49th New Zealand parliament. The conservative National Party, headed by its Parliamentary leader John Key, won a plurality of votes and seats, ending 9 years of government dominated by the social...
and is considered a safe National seat. A third of the population is born overseas and it has a large Chinese population.
Wong won the seat with 17382 (56.22%) votes in the 2008 general election. Labour candidate Koro Tawa was runner-up with 6510 (21.06%) and ACT's Kenneth Wang
Kenneth Wang
Kenneth Xiaoxuan Wang was a New Zealand politician and businessman, and a member of the ACT New Zealand party. He entered Parliament to replace Donna Awatere Huata, who was expelled from Parliament on 19 November 2004. Wang was sworn in on 30 November 2004.Wang was born in China, and has three...
on 4717 (15.26%). Party votes were National 19355 (61.25%), Labour 7958 (25.18%) and Act 1528 (4.84%).
Candidates
Nominations opened on 2 February and will close at noon on 8 February, with the official list of candidates expected to be published later that day.National Party
The National PartyNew Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
has selected Jami-Lee Ross
Jami-Lee Ross
Jami-Lee Ross is a New Zealand National Party Member of Parliament for Botany, having won the 2011 Botany by-election on 5 March.-Early life:...
, a member of the Auckland Council
Auckland Council
The Auckland Council is the council for the Auckland Region in New Zealand. It began operating on 1 November 2010, combining the functions of the existing regional council and the region's seven previous city and district councils into one "super council" or "super city" governed by a mayor, 20...
representing Howick, as their candidate. He was selected from a shortlist of five candidates, the other four being former Auckland City
Auckland City
Auckland City was the city and local authority covering the Auckland isthmus and most of the islands of the Hauraki Gulf, in the North Island of New Zealand. On 1 November 2010 it was amalgamated into the wider Auckland Region under the authority of the new Auckland Council...
councillor Aaron Bhatnagar, media presenter Maggie Barry
Maggie Barry
Maggie Barry, CNZM, is a New Zealand politician and a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives, first elected in the 2011 general election. She is a member of the National Party...
, Elim Christian College
Elim Christian College
Elim Christian College is a state-integrated, co-educational, day school located in Botany Downs, a suburb of Manukau City, Auckland, New Zealand....
teacher Darron Gedge, and health research scientist Edward Saafi.
A total of twelve people had initially put their names forward for the nomination. The list was not released, but was reported to include Denise Krum (a National Party official and former president of United Future), Ram Rai (a National Party official), Ken Yee (former Manukau City councillor and unsuccessful candidate for Manukau East
Manukau East
Manukau East is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate.It is currently held by Ross Robertson MP.-Suburbs:In 2007, large changes were made to the Manukau East electorate. Its northern boundary extended past the Tāmaki River to almost as far as Sylvia Park Rd to incorporate Middlemore, Otahuhu and...
), Youngshin Watkins, and Daniel Newman. Other names that had been mentioned in speculation include current list MP Melissa Lee
Melissa Lee
Melissa Lee is a New Zealand politician. She was elected to the House of Representatives as a list MP for the National Party in the 2008 election. She is currently a member of the Commerce and Law and Order committees....
(who unsuccessfully contested the Mount Albert by-election
Mount Albert by-election, 2009
A by-election was held in the New Zealand electorate of Mount Albert on 13 June 2009. There were fifteen candidates in the election. David Shearer of the Labour Party won the election with 63% of the vote...
earlier in the parliamentary term), party official Kit Parkinson, and Howick Local Board chairman Michael Williams.
ACT
ACT selected MITManukau Institute of Technology
Manukau Institute of Technology is a large institute of technology in Auckland, New Zealand. It is located on two campuses in Otara, 30 minutes from central Auckland and 15 minutes from the central area of Manukau.-Campus:...
lecturer and Counties Manukau DHB member Lyn Murphy. Murphy calls herself a centrist, who is to the left of Ross and to the right of Wood. She has long championed ACT’s values of smaller Government and greater transparency and accountability. Murphy championed the undergrounding of power lines with success in Bradbury Rd and Cockle Bay, the protection of the Emilia Maude Nixon Garden of Memories, and the restoration of Mangemangeroa Reserve.
Labour Party
The Labour PartyNew Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
has selected Michael Wood, Puketapapa Local Board member, as their candidate. The other two people contesting the nomination were Roy Bootle and David Collings. Collings withdrew before the selection process was completed. Koro Tawa, who contested the seat in the previous general election and had already been selected to contest it in the next one, was reported to be seeking the nomination for the by-election as well, but in the end, was not reported as one of the candidates being considered.
Others
The Green PartyGreen Party of Aotearoa New Zealand
The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand is a political party that has seats in the New Zealand parliament. It focuses firstly on environmentalism, arguing that all other aspects of humanity will cease to be of concern if there is no environment to sustain it...
selected Richard Leckinger, a former ministerial advisor and researcher at Parliament. However, he was stuck in traffic and could not submit the nomination form in time.
The Pirate Party
Pirate Party of New Zealand
The Pirate Party of New Zealand is a political party in New Zealand. The party is based on the Swedish Pirate Party and focuses on issues of copyright and patent reform and internet privacy...
selected Hussain Al-Saady, a recent university graduate.
The recently-founded New Citizen Party
New Citizen Party
The New Citizen Party is a political party in New Zealand. It aims to represent Chinese New Zealanders and has a focus on economic and law-and-order issues...
selected businessman Paul Young.
Independents include veteran campaigner Penny Bright,
translator and former candidate for Puketapapa Local Board Robert Goh, and former candidate for mayor Wayne Young
Campaign
Wood started the campaign by admitting to the local paper in Puketapapa he has no chance of winning, a week later, he told the local paper in Botany he hasn't given up yet. NZPA reported that even that the new New Citizen Party has put up more billboards than him. Wood claims Ross is "too scared" to have a TV debate with him on the "big issues", while making a pledge "to drive penis lollies out of the community".Meanwhile, National warned against being complacent and taking the election for granted.
Paul Young wants 10% GST
Goods and Services Tax (New Zealand)
Goods and Services Tax is a value added tax introduced in New Zealand on 1 October 1986 at 10%. It later increased to 12.5% on 1 July 1989 and was further increased to 15% on 1 October 2010....
, "traditional values in the education system" and "respect for elders".
Bright again campaigned on her theme of open, transparent and democratically accountable governments. She condemned the planned partial privatisation of state assets, saying "partial privatisation is like partial pregnancy – there is no such thing".
Wayne Young, made homeless by the leaky homes crisis
Leaky homes crisis
The leaky homes crisis is an ongoing construction and legal crisis in New Zealand, in which many thousands of newly constructed houses and apartment buildings built in the 1990s and early 2000s suffered from severe weathertightness problems...
, wants building standards to be strengthened.
The Pirate Party left its campaign to the last minute, handing out fliers at 6pm on the day before the election.
Results
Official results as declared on Wednesday 16 March 2011 after special votes were counted. Ross resigned his seat on the Auckland Council on the Monday after the election.Alleged illegal campaigning
New Zealand law prohibits campaigning on election day. It is alleged that the United Chinese Press newspaper published a front page article on election day endorsing Paul Young. It is further alleged the paper ran an ad in the same edition for the New Citizen Party. The editor of the United Chinese Press insists the newspaper in question was printed on the day before, and therefore legal.External links
- Botany by-election - Elections New Zealand
- Times Newspaper special coverage
- Electorate Profile Parliamentary Library