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Objection

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Jackson Hansen Cane

I live in newlands and dont think I should be represeted with the Hutt South area. I go to either the wellington or kenepuru hospatal and either the wellington or kenepuru dumps. I know thats more of a council thing but its how I feel I define my identity.

Objection

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Kosal Kong

I object to the inclusion of part of Newlands and all of Woodridge in the Hutt South electorate. I do not consider that this reflects current community links and would lead to issues relating to residents of PARTS of Newlands and Woodridge having to be prioritised against issues relating to the Hutt Valley, and given that would be such a small part of the electorate that we would be crowded out. It also seems ridiculous that my local schools would no longer actually be in my electorate. This also does not reflect city council boundaries, which adds further complications for folks in this suburb. Our commuting lines all go into the city VIA Johnsonville.

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Objection

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Ms Rissa Ota

I saw that Newlands and Woodbridge are planned to be part of Lower Hutt electorate.

Considering that Newlands and Woodbridge are part of Wellington city, I'll strongly advocate to be part of a Wellington electorate rather than Lower Hutt city.

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Objection

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Mr Daniel Roberts

The designation of Newlands and Woodridge into hutt south. The two are completely disconnected physically from the natural partition of the Hutt and the northern suburbs of Wellington at Ngauranga gorge. Hutt MP’s will never represent the people of newlands, and the people of newlands are more far more connected physically with keneperu and johnsonville. It’s madness to pull them apart due to population. All future growth in Wellington will come in via the keneperu electorate over the next 15 years. growth in the area would suggest if anything that

Objection

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Damien Kitto

I am objecting to the suburbs of Newlands, Woodridge & Horokiwi being moved from the Ohariu electorate into Hutt South.

I am a resident on Kenmore Street in Newlands. The proposed changes essentially split our suburb into 2 different electorates.
For example any house to the west of the New World at the end of my street would be in a different electorate to me.

It seems strange to include these 3 suburbs in Hutt South given that the demographics in Newlands are vastly different to many of the residents in Lower Hutt.

Many of the amenities/infrastructure we use in Newlands are located in Johnsonville not Lower Hutt.

I doubt that the MP for Hutt South would ever venture into our half of Newlands. We would be such a small proportion of the votes they need.
An MP in Hutt South is unlikely to provide much support for Newlands residents.
The issues Hutt South MPs are campaigning on are unlikely to relate / affect us in Newlands. Central government decision making for our suburb of Newlands is more likely to be mooted or supported by the new Kenepuru MP rather than the Hutt South MP.

Currently we have a great presence in Newlands from the current Ohariu member, and I would presume this would stay the same if the whole suburb was part of the new Kenepuru electorate.

I feel that the new MP for Kenepuru is more likely to be representative of Newlands, however us on the Kenmore St side of Newlands wouldn't have the ability to elect this Kenepuru MP.

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Objection

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Tania Woolf-Ben-Avraham

I object to Newlands, Wellington being placed in the Hutt South electorate (currently it is in Ohariu). This is because Newlands has no social connection with, nor easy transport connections to, Hutt South, being geographically and socially more connected to Johnsonville. There is no social connection with Hutt South at all that I am aware of. There is no direct road from Johnsonville to the Hutt, requiring a trip south to Ngauranga Gorge then north on the motorway to get there, or a longer route via Porirua and the Haywards. Putting Newlands in Hutt South would cut the suburb off from easy representation and makes no sense regarding community interests which lie with the Johnsonville and surrounding area. Ohariu as an electorate always had good connection with its Parliamentary representative, if it must change it makes no sense to carve Newlands off and insert it in an area with which Newlands has no social connection and no direct and straightforward roading connection and no direct public transport connection (public transport travel there requiring changes of bus/train making it a complicated and expensive and time consuming undertaking).

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Objection

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Mr Aaron Tangaroa

Aaron Tangaroa
[Home address redacted]

Subject: Submission Opposing the Inclusion of Newlands in Hutt South

To Whom It May Concern,

I am writing to formally oppose the proposed change to move Newlands from its current electorate into Hutt South. This adjustment is not in the best interests of the residents of Newlands or the communities affected by this boundary shift. Below are my key arguments against this proposal:

1. Community Disconnection
Newlands has long been closely aligned with Wellington’s northern suburbs rather than the Hutt Valley. This realignment severs important social, economic, and historical ties with neighbouring suburbs such as Johnsonville, Churton Park, and Ngaio, instead forcing it into an electorate with which it has little in common. Residents rely on Wellington-based services, businesses, and transport links rather than those in Hutt South.

2. Lack of Transport and Infrastructure Links
There are no direct transport links between Newlands and the Hutt Valley, making the realignment impractical. Public transport routes, including bus and train networks, predominantly connect Newlands to Wellington City and other northern suburbs, not to Lower Hutt. This will result in an electorate where residents feel politically disconnected from their representative and neighbouring communities.

3. Disruption to Representation
Newlands residents share concerns, needs, and priorities that align more with Wellington issues than those of Hutt South. This shift will result in an MP representing a constituency with disparate concerns, potentially diluting the focus on pressing issues specific to Newlands. The proposed change risks reducing effective representation for Newlands residents.

4. Inconsistency with Natural Boundaries
The proposed change disregards logical geographic boundaries. The natural divide between Newlands and the Hutt Valley, including the topographical separation created by hills and road networks, makes it unreasonable to lump these areas together into one electorate. Electorate boundaries should reflect natural communities rather than forced numerical adjustments.

5. Negative Impact on Local Engagement
Shifting Newlands into Hutt South may discourage political engagement. Residents who feel disconnected from their electorate are less likely to participate in elections and civic activities, reducing overall voter turnout and community involvement. It is crucial that electorate boundaries encourage engagement rather than alienate voters.

6. Shared Services and Redundant Facilities
Newlands shares key recreational and public services with Johnsonville, including sports facilities, parks, and community centres. The proposed boundary change could result in duplication of services without an increase in demand, leading to inefficient use of public funds. Newlands residents predominantly use amenities such as Alex Moore Park and Keith Spry Pool in Johnsonville, which are well-integrated into the community’s daily life. Shifting Newlands into Hutt South creates the risk of redundant or underutilised facilities, potentially leading to reduced investment in existing services or a loss of economic and social benefits for both communities.

7. Lack of Meaningful Justification
The rationale for this boundary change appears to be based purely on population balancing rather than genuine community representation. There has been little consultation with affected residents, and the broader implications of this shift have not been adequately considered. Electoral boundaries should be drawn with communities in mind, not just numerical targets.

Conclusion
For the reasons outlined above, I strongly oppose the proposal to move Newlands into Hutt South. This change disregards established community ties, disrupts effective representation, and weakens democratic engagement. I urge the Commission to reconsider this adjustment and maintain Newlands within an electorate that better reflects its natural connections and interests.
Thank you for considering this submission. I look forward to your response and to further engagement on this matter.

Yours sincerely,


Aaron Tangaroa

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Objection

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David Parker

Oswald Crescent in Newlands is in Newlands, in the heart or centre of Newlands, no where near Hutt South, cannot even see the Hutt from Oswald Crescent. We have nothing to do with the Hutt.
Newlands as a suburb is basically being split in half so who will represent the suburb? Do you just work from numbers to work out the boundary without taking into account things like large hills or motorways or completely disconnected groups. Hutt South has different issues to what Newlands has. Not even in the same local Council.
Regarding numbers, Woodridge is still growing and will do so for a few years. Did you factor that in.

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Objection

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Katherine Scapolo

I'm not sure on what planet Newlands and Woodridge are part of the Hutt! Our family lived in those suburbs for over 10 years and never considered ourselves part of the Hutt nor ever used the Hutt community for our needs, we have always used Johnsonville or Porirua. We now live in Paparangi so end up moving in to the Keneperu seat, which makes slightly more sense but still removes the focus on our more direct region. Our son now lives in Ngaio, and I'm unsure how Ngaio and the other suburbs mentioned become Wellington (except maybe Wadestown, which I've always considered 'town'), the rest are clearly suburbs not the CBD. We've always throught of those areas as being part of our region - although transport wise they are close to the CBD. I just can't see how suddently there aren't enough people in the area to justify our own seat (given the growth in Woodridge and Churton Park over the last 10+ years). My fear is nothing will ever happen in the Johnsonville hub with this change as you are effectively just dispursing us all so as a collective there is no ability to make an impact. How would Hutt South care about what happens in Newlands (and Woodridge) - you can't even commute easily to the Hutt! And why would Keneperu care about Johnsonville, they already have a shopping hub. Seems to me this just a way to shut down the needs of Ohariu once and for all. Others I've spoken to are saying we just won't vote because there is no point as where you're moving us all to is completley illogical . I'm not sure what your logic is or what the crtiera is that has suddenly moved the gate posts, as we sure as eggs haven't become smaller over the years!

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Objection

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Katrina Richmond

I object to Newlands being moved into Hutt South. There is no connection between the two areas. Newlands is a suburb of Wellington City, not Hutt City. Newlands residents will not get adequate representation from Hutt South MP.

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Objection

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Nathalie Leamy

Newlands, Johnsonville, Woodridge and Paparangi are close-knit, connected communities that share the same issues, problems and challenges. It makes absolutely no sense to split part of Newlands and incorporate it to Hutt South.

Woodridge does not even have a direct road connection to the Hutt! Under the proposed changes, Woodridge would become a forgotten outpost of Hutt South and I doubt their MP would have the same presence and/or advocate for them in the same way they would for the rest of the electorate. Quit the nonsense and leave Woodridge in Kenepuru.

Objection

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Meg Davies

Objection to Proposed Hutt South Electorate Boundary Including Half of Newlands and Woodridge

I strongly object to the proposed boundary change that places half of Newlands and Woodridge into the Hutt South electorate.

This change would split a cohesive and interconnected community, undermining the social and practical ties that bind Newlands and Woodridge. Our community shares schools, parks, shops, and social services. Dividing it down the middle creates confusion and weakens our ability to be represented effectively.

A particular concern is that this proposal divides school communities, leaving students from the same classrooms in different electorates. This not only fragments our community identity but also risks complicating representation and support for local schools, which rely on united advocacy from local MPs.

Even more troubling is that key community services—such as our local doctor and community centre—would be in one electorate, while many of the people who rely on them would be in another. This raises serious concerns about access to effective political advocacy. Why would the MP for Hutt South be expected to champion the needs of constituents who are not even part of their electorate, despite those constituents relying on services physically located within it? This arrangement risks leaving people without strong, accountable representation for services that directly affect their lives.

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Objection

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Leiani Blair

This split will affect schooling, GP services, community and so much more, no one will make an effort to include newlands in their decisions.
We don’t even have a direct road into the Hutt Valley.

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Objection

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Ms Tara-Lee Miller

I have lived in Newlands for 30 years.
Under the new proposal our suburb and neighbouring suburbs become part of Hutt South. People in my neighbourhood see themselves as part of the Newlands and Johnsonville communities and the wider northern suburbs community.
We live in Wellington city, not Hutt city.
Our local authority is the Wellington City Council, not the Hutt City Council.
We access healthcare from Wellington and Kenepuru hospitals, not Hutt Hospital.
We access Wellington libraries, not Hutt ones.
Our rates go towards Wellington City Council projects, not Hutt ones.
When asked to vote, I feel we have very little knowledge about the important issues facing Hutt South and to be honest what happens in Hutt South has no impact or bearing on us living all the way down the Hutt Road and up Ngauranga George.
There is no direct road linking us.
This proposal is a ridiculous one that is simply about the numbers and not about the practical workings of electorates.

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Objection

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Mrs Karla Fisher

I live in Newlands and under the new proposal our suburb and neighbouring suburbs become part of Hutt South.

People in my neighborhood see themselves as part of the Northern suburbs / Johnsonville community. We live in Wellington city, not Hutt city. On a map we may look close but our communities operate in separate ways. I have no idea what is happening in the Hutt and people there have no idea what is happening in Newlands.

When asked to vote, people representing this area would have very little to do with our part of the suburb.

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