Ōtāhuhu, previously named Otahuhu, will be a future parliamentary electorate in the 2026 New Zealand general election. The electorate previously existed as an electorate in the southern suburbs of the city of Auckland, from 1938 to 1963, and then from 1972 to 1984.
Population centres 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 () was re-established, and four electorates were created for the first time, including Otahuhu.
For the purposes of the country quota, the 1936 census had determined that some 30% of the population lived in urban areas, and the balance in rural areas. Since the , the number of electorates in the South Island was fixed at 25, with continued faster population growth in the North Island leading to an increase in the number of general electorates. There were 84 electorates for the 1969 election, and the 1972 electoral redistribution saw three additional general seats created for the North Island, bringing the total number of electorates to 87. Together with increased urbanisation in Christchurch and Nelson, the changes proved very disruptive to existing electorates. In the South Island, three electorates were abolished, and three electorates were newly created. In the North Island, five electorates were abolished, two electorates were recreated (including Otahuhu), and six electorates were newly created.
The Otahuhu electorate was located in the south of Auckland. Settlements that fell into the initial Otahuhu electorate were Howick, Papatoetoe, Māngere, Manurewa, and Brookby.
The re-created 2026 electorate was pushed south-easterly from the prior Panmure-Ōtāhuhu electorate, and included the population centres of Ōtāhuhu, Middlemore, Ōtara, Clover Park and parts of Papatoetoe. Initial proposals included western Flat Bush, though this was changed after public consultation.
History The first representative, elected in , was Charles Robert Petrie. In the previous parliamentary term, Petrie had represented the Hauraki electorate, which then had covered the South Auckland suburbs. Petrie retired in 1949.
In the 1963 general election the seat was abolished and Bob Tizard stood in Pakuranga, so only represented Otahuhu from 16 March (after a by-election due to the death of James Deas) to 29 October 1963. He later returned to the seat when it was reconstituted. When it was abolished in 1984, he stood in Panmure.
The electorate was re-created for the 2026 general election onwards to accommodate general population growth in South Auckland, with the preceding Panmure-Ōtāhuhu electorate losing the titular suburb of Panmure to Maungakiekie.
Members of Parliament Key
ElectionWinner rowspan=3 Charles Robert Petrie rowspan=2 Leon Götz rowspan=3 James Deas Bob Tizard rowspan=4 Bob Tizard (2nd period) (Electorate abolished in 1984; see )
Election results 2026 election The next election will be held on 7 November 2026. Candidates for Otahuhu are listed at Candidates in the 2026 New Zealand general election by electorate § Otahuhu. Official results will be available after 27 November 2026.
1981 election
1978 election
1975 election
1972 election
1963 by-election
1960 election
1957 election
1954 election
1951 election
1949 election
1946 election
1943 election
1938 election
Notes
References