Labour in Auckland
Stuff reports:
Labour leader Chris Hipkins knows his party has a fight on its hands to win back support in Auckland, and he says being more visible in New Zealand’s biggest city will help with that.
Labour suffered significant losses in Auckland during last year’s election, winning just six electorates – half the number from 2020. What were assumed as safe seats, like New Lynn and Mt Roskill, fell into the hands of National.
Visiting Auckland is not the same as having front bench MPs in Auckland. The composition of Labour’s front bench is:
- Auckland 2
- Wellington 4
- Christchurch 1
- Provincial 2
Labour’s party vote in the general Auckland electorates under MMP has been:
- 2020: 50.0%
- 2002: 42.4%
- 2005: 41.8%
- 1999: 39.1%
- 2017: 36.8%
- 2008: 32.5%
- 2011: 30.4%
- 2014: 27.7%
- 2023: 25.9%
So their 2023 result was the worst ever for them in Auckland in the history of MMP.
Hipkins is now making regular visits to Auckland. He says he understands there was a perception that Labour was too Wellington-focussed and he has to change that.
He thinks it was only a perception?
The post Labour in Auckland first appeared on Kiwiblog.