Invercargill is an electorate of the Parliament of New Zealand

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...

 that has existed since 1866. The current representative is Eric Roy

Eric Roy

Eric Wilbur Roy is a New Zealand politician. He is a National Party Member of Parliament , being first elected in 1993.-Early years:...

.

Population centres

The electorate covers Invercargill

Invercargill

Invercargill is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. It lies in the heart of the wide expanse of the Southland Plains on the Oreti or New River some 18 km north of Bluff,...

 city and the surrounding rural area, including Stewart Island / Rakiura. In 1996 a boundary redistribution resulted in the abolition of the Awarua electorate and merged with Invercargill following re-drawing of boundaries due to the introduction of mixed-member proportional voting (MMP).

History

The electorate was established in 1866 when it separated from the Wallace electorate

Wallace (New Zealand electorate)

Wallace was a New Zealand parliamentary electorate, from 1859 to 1996.-Population centres:This electorate is in the rural part of Southland.-History:...

.

The first representative was William Wood

William Wood (New Zealand)

William Wood was a 19th century New Zealand politician.He represented the Invercargill electorate in Parliament from 1866 to 1870, when he retired, and then the Mataura electorate from 1876 to 1878, when he resigned....

, who won the . Wood retired at the end of the parliamentary term in 1870. William Henderson Calder

William Henderson Calder

William Henderson Calder was a 19th century New Zealand politician.He represented the Invercargill electorate in Parliament from 1871 to 1873, when he resigned.-References:...

 succeeded Wood in the and he resigned in March 1873. The resulting was won by John Cuthbertson

John Cuthbertson

John Robert Cuthbertson was a 19th century New Zealand politician.He represented the Invercargill electorate in Parliament from 1873 to 1875, when he was defeated. He was Mayor of Invercargill in 1876–77.-References:...

, who served until the end of the parliamentary term in 1875.

Cuthbertson was defeated by George Lumsden

George Lumsden

George Lumsden was a 19th century New Zealand politician.He was Mayor of Invercargill in 1873–74. He represented the Invercargill electorate in Parliament from 1875 to 1878, when he resigned.-References:...

 in the 1875 election. Lumsden resigned in June 1878, which caused the . Henry Feldwick

Henry Feldwick

Henry Feldwick was a 19th century New Zealand politician.He represented the Invercargill electorate in Parliament from 1878 to 1879, from 1881 to 1884 and from 1887 to 1890. He was defeated in 1879 by James Bain, in 1884 by Joseph Hatch, and in 1890 by James Kelly.- References :New Zealand...

 was the successful candidate and he commenced his first of three terms for the electorate. At the , Feldwick was defeated by James Walker Bain

James Walker Bain

James Walker Bain was a 19th century New Zealand politician.He represented the Invercargill electorate in Parliament from 1879 to 1881, when he retired. He was Mayor of Invercargill in 1891–1892.-References:...

, who retired at the end of the parliamentary term in 1881. At the , Feldwick was again the successful candidate, only to be defeated again at the , on that occasion by Joseph Hatch

Joseph Hatch

Joseph Hatch was a New Zealand politician, but is now remembered for harvesting penguins and elephant seals for their oil on the sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island from 1890 to 1919. About two million penguins were killed over nearly three decades. His company J...

. At the , Feldwick defeated Hatch and commenced his third and final term for the Invercargill electorate, serving until the end of the parliamentary term in 1890.

James Whyte Kelly

James Whyte Kelly

James Whyte Kelly was a 19th century New Zealand politician of the Liberal Party.He represented the Invercargill electorate in Parliament from 1890 to 1899, when he was defeated.-Further reading:...

 defeated Feldwick in the . Kelly became a member of the Liberal Party

New Zealand Liberal Party

The New Zealand Liberal Party is generally regarded as having been the first real political party in New Zealand. It governed from 1891 until 1912. Out of office, the Liberals gradually found themselves pressed between the conservative Reform Party and the growing Labour Party...

 and served for three parliamentary terms. For the , the Liberal Party selected Josiah Hanan

Josiah Hanan

Josiah Alfred Hanan was a New Zealand politician, cabinet minister, and legislative councillor. He also served as Mayor of Invercargill, and as Chancellor of the University of New Zealand.-Early life:...

 instead of Kelly, and the two contested the election, with Hanan being successful. Hanan served the electorate until 1925, when he retired.

The was narrowly won by the former Prime Minister Sir Joseph Ward

Joseph Ward

Sir Joseph George Ward, 1st Baronet, GCMG was the 17th Prime Minister of New Zealand on two occasions in the early 20th century.-Early life:...

. Until 1919, Ward had for many years represented Awarua. Ward, a former leader of the Liberal Party, contested the election under the "Liberal" label, despite the fact that the remnants of the Liberal Party were now calling themselves by different names. In 1928, Ward helped form the United Party

United Party (New Zealand)

The United Party of New Zealand, a party formed out of the remnants of the Liberal Party, formed a government between 1928 and 1935, and in 1936 merged with the Reform Party to establish the National Party...

 and won the . He died on 8 July 1930, which caused the won by his son Vincent Ward

Vincent Ward (politician)

Vincent Aubrey Ward, CBE was briefly a New Zealand Member of Parliament.-Early life:Born in Bluff, a son of the late Prime Minister Sir Joseph Ward, he replaced his father in the 1930 by-election for the parliamentary seat of Invercargill that was held after Sir Joseph died...

, who retired at the end of the parliamentary term in 1931.

Vincent Ward was succeeded by James Hargest

James Hargest

Brigadier James Hargest CBE, DSO & 2 bars, MC, ED, MP, was a New Zealand military officer and politician.Hargest was born in Gore, where his father was a farmer. He joined the Territorial Force in 1911, and when World War I broke out, he volunteered to serve in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force,...

 in the . At the end of the parliamentary term in 1935, Hargest successfully contested the Awarua electorate. He was succeeded in the Invercargill electorate by William Denham

William Denham

William Mortimer Clarence Denham was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party.He represented the Invercargill electorate in Parliament from 1935 to 1946, when he was defeated.-References:...

 of the Labour Party

New 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....

, who held the electorate for three terms until his defeat in the by Ralph Hanan

Ralph Hanan

Josiah Ralph Hanan known as Ralph Hanan was a New Zealand politician of the National Party.He represented the Invercargill electorate in Parliament from 1946 to 1969, and was a son of Josiah Hanan who had previously held the seat...

 of the 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:...

. Hanan was re-elected seven times and died in office on 24 July 1969, which was close enough to the held on 29 November for no by-election to be held.

The successful candidate in the 1969 general election was John Chewings

John Chewings

John Guy Chewings was a New Zealand politician of the National Party.He represented the Invercargill electorate in Parliament from 1969 to 1972, when he was defeated.-References:...

, who was defeated at the end of the parliamentary term at the by Labour's J. B. Munro

J. B. Munro

John Baldwin Munro JP , better known as J. B. Munro was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party.He represented the Invercargill electorate in Parliament from 1972 to 1975, when he was defeated by Norman Jones....

. At the next election in 1975

New Zealand general election, 1975

The 1975 New Zealand general election was held to elect MPs to the 38th session of the New Zealand Parliament. It was the first election in New Zealand where 18-20 year olds and all permanent residents of New Zealand were eligible to vote, although only citizens were able to be...

, Munro was in turn beaten by National's Norman Jones. Jones retired at the end of his fourth term in August 1987 and died shortly thereafter on 19 November.

Jones was succeeded by National's Rob Munro

Rob Munro

Rob Munro was a New Zealand politician of the National Party.He represented the Invercargill electorate in Parliament from 1987, when he replaced Norman Jones to 1993, when he was defeated by Mark Peck.-References:...

 in the . Munro served two parliamentary terms before being beaten by Labour's Mark Peck

Mark Peck

Mark Everett Peck is a New Zealand politician. He is a member of the Labour Party. He was MP for Invercargill from 1993, when he first won the seat in the 1993 elections until 2005 when he announced he would not stand for re-election at the 2005 Parliamentary elections.-Early life:Peck was born in...

 in the . Peck retired after four parliamentary terms in 2005 and was succeeded by National's Eric Roy

Eric Roy

Eric Wilbur Roy is a New Zealand politician. He is a National Party Member of Parliament , being first elected in 1993.-Early years:...

 in the . Roy is the incumbent.

Members of Parliament for Invercargill

Key

Election	Winner
		William Wood William Wood (New Zealand) William Wood was a 19th century New Zealand politician.He represented the Invercargill electorate in Parliament from 1866 to 1870, when he retired, and then the Mataura electorate from 1876 to 1878, when he resigned....
		William Henderson Calder William Henderson Calder William Henderson Calder was a 19th century New Zealand politician.He represented the Invercargill electorate in Parliament from 1871 to 1873, when he resigned.-References:...
		John Cuthbertson John Cuthbertson John Robert Cuthbertson was a 19th century New Zealand politician.He represented the Invercargill electorate in Parliament from 1873 to 1875, when he was defeated. He was Mayor of Invercargill in 1876–77.-References:...
1875 election		George Lumsden George Lumsden George Lumsden was a 19th century New Zealand politician.He was Mayor of Invercargill in 1873–74. He represented the Invercargill electorate in Parliament from 1875 to 1878, when he resigned.-References:...
		Henry Feldwick Henry Feldwick Henry Feldwick was a 19th century New Zealand politician.He represented the Invercargill electorate in Parliament from 1878 to 1879, from 1881 to 1884 and from 1887 to 1890. He was defeated in 1879 by James Bain, in 1884 by Joseph Hatch, and in 1890 by James Kelly.- References :New Zealand...
		James Walker Bain James Walker Bain James Walker Bain was a 19th century New Zealand politician.He represented the Invercargill electorate in Parliament from 1879 to 1881, when he retired. He was Mayor of Invercargill in 1891–1892.-References:...
		Henry Feldwick (2nd time)
		Joseph Hatch Joseph Hatch Joseph Hatch was a New Zealand politician, but is now remembered for harvesting penguins and elephant seals for their oil on the sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island from 1890 to 1919. About two million penguins were killed over nearly three decades. His company J...
		Henry Feldwick (3rd time)
		James Whyte Kelly James Whyte Kelly James Whyte Kelly was a 19th century New Zealand politician of the Liberal Party.He represented the Invercargill electorate in Parliament from 1890 to 1899, when he was defeated.-Further reading:...
		Josiah Hanan Josiah Hanan Josiah Alfred Hanan was a New Zealand politician, cabinet minister, and legislative councillor. He also served as Mayor of Invercargill, and as Chancellor of the University of New Zealand.-Early life:...
		Joseph Ward Joseph Ward Sir Joseph George Ward, 1st Baronet, GCMG was the 17th Prime Minister of New Zealand on two occasions in the early 20th century.-Early life:...
		Vincent Ward Vincent Ward (politician) Vincent Aubrey Ward, CBE was briefly a New Zealand Member of Parliament.-Early life:Born in Bluff, a son of the late Prime Minister Sir Joseph Ward, he replaced his father in the 1930 by-election for the parliamentary seat of Invercargill that was held after Sir Joseph died...
		James Hargest James Hargest Brigadier James Hargest CBE, DSO & 2 bars, MC, ED, MP, was a New Zealand military officer and politician.Hargest was born in Gore, where his father was a farmer. He joined the Territorial Force in 1911, and when World War I broke out, he volunteered to serve in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force,...
		William Denham William Denham William Mortimer Clarence Denham was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party.He represented the Invercargill electorate in Parliament from 1935 to 1946, when he was defeated.-References:...
		Ralph Hanan Ralph Hanan Josiah Ralph Hanan known as Ralph Hanan was a New Zealand politician of the National Party.He represented the Invercargill electorate in Parliament from 1946 to 1969, and was a son of Josiah Hanan who had previously held the seat...
		John Chewings John Chewings John Guy Chewings was a New Zealand politician of the National Party.He represented the Invercargill electorate in Parliament from 1969 to 1972, when he was defeated.-References:...
		J. B. Munro J. B. Munro John Baldwin Munro JP , better known as J. B. Munro was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party.He represented the Invercargill electorate in Parliament from 1972 to 1975, when he was defeated by Norman Jones....
		Norman Jones
		Rob Munro Rob Munro Rob Munro was a New Zealand politician of the National Party.He represented the Invercargill electorate in Parliament from 1987, when he replaced Norman Jones to 1993, when he was defeated by Mark Peck.-References:...
		Mark Peck Mark Peck Mark Everett Peck is a New Zealand politician. He is a member of the Labour Party. He was MP for Invercargill from 1993, when he first won the seat in the 1993 elections until 2005 when he announced he would not stand for re-election at the 2005 Parliamentary elections.-Early life:Peck was born in...
		Eric Roy Eric Roy Eric Wilbur Roy is a New Zealand politician. He is a National Party Member of Parliament , being first elected in 1993.-Early years:...

List MPs from Invercargill

Members of Parliament elected from party lists in elections where that person also unsuccessfully contested the Invercargill electorate. Unless otherwise stated, all MPs terms began and ended at general elections.

Name	Party	Elected	Left Office
Eric Roy Eric Roy Eric Wilbur Roy is a New Zealand politician. He is a National Party Member of Parliament , being first elected in 1993.-Early years:...	National 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:...	1996 New Zealand general election, 1996 The 1996 New Zealand general election was held on 12 October 1996 to determine the composition of the 45th New Zealand Parliament. It was notable for being the first election to be held under the new Mixed Member Proportional electoral system, and produced a parliament considerably more diverse...	Current MP

Candidates in the

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Electorate (as at 11 November 2011): 44,731

2008 election

2005 election

Note: lines coloured beige denote the winner of the electorate vote. Lines coloured pink denote a candidate elected to Parliament from their party's list.

Party	Candidate	Votes	%	Party Votes	%
National 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:...	Eric Roy Eric Roy Eric Wilbur Roy is a New Zealand politician. He is a National Party Member of Parliament , being first elected in 1993.-Early years:...	15570	49.51	12559	39.49
Labour New 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....	Wayne Harpur	13518	42.98	14369	45.18
Green Green 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...	Craig Carson	906	2.88	980	3.08
United	Ralph Kennard	453	1.44	1024	3.22
ACT	Ian Beker	358	1.14	365	1.15
Progressive New Zealand Progressive Party Jim Anderton's Progressive Party , is a New Zealand political party generally somewhat to the left of its ally, the Labour Party....	Heka Taefu	231	0.73	388	1.22
Democrats New Zealand Democratic Party The New Zealand Democratic Party for Social Credit is a small leftist political party in New Zealand. It is based around the ideas of Social Credit, an economic theory which also attracted some degree of support in Canada and Australia...	Bruce Stirling	187	0.59	24	0.08
Māori Party Maori Party The Māori Party, a political party in New Zealand, was formed on 7 July 2004. The Party is guided by eight constitutional "kaupapa", or Party objectives. Tariana Turia formed the Māori Party after resigning from the Labour Party where she had been a Cabinet Minister in the Fifth Labour-led...	Gina Haremate-Crawford	163	0.52	106	0.33
Direct Democracy Direct Democracy Party of New Zealand The Direct Democracy Party of New Zealand was a political party in New Zealand that promoted greater participation by the people in the decision-making of government. The party's leader was Kelvyn Alp....	Craig Guy	65	0.21	11	0.03
NZ First New Zealand First New Zealand First is a political party in New Zealand that was founded in 1993, following party founder Winston Peters' resignation from the National Party in 1992...	-	-	-	1530	4.81
Destiny Destiny New Zealand Destiny New Zealand was a Christian political party in New Zealand centred on the charismatic/pentecostal Destiny Church. The party described itself as "centre-right". It placed a strong focus on socially conservative values and argued that the breakdown of the traditional family was a primary...	-	-	-	188	0.59
ALCP Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party The Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party is a political party in New Zealand. It is dedicated to removing or reducing restrictions on the use of cannabis and similar substances...	-	-	-	96	0.30
Christian Heritage Christian Heritage New Zealand The Christian Heritage Party of New Zealand was a New Zealand political party espousing Christian values...	-	-	-	56	0.19
Alliance Alliance (New Zealand political party) The Alliance is a left-wing political party in New Zealand. It was formed in 1991, and was influential in the 1990s, but has since declined and has no representation in parliament. It suffered a major setback after Jim Anderton, the party's leader, left the party in 2002, taking several of the...	-	-	-	22	0.07
One NZ One New Zealand Party The One New Zealand Party was a small political party in New Zealand. It was partly modeled on the Australian One Nation Party, founded by Pauline Hanson. Its primary focus was on matters such as the Treaty of Waitangi, but its wider platform was broadly paleoconservative or producerist...	-	-	-	13	0.04
Family Rights PP New Zealand Family Rights Protection Party The New Zealand Family Rights Protection Party was a political party in New Zealand. It was primarily based around Pacific Islanders, and claims that the established political parties do not give sufficient consideration to the concerns of Pacific Islanders in New Zealand.The party was approved for...	-	-	-	11	0.03
Libertarianz Libertarianz Libertarianz is a political party in New Zealand that advocates libertarianism, favouring self-government and limiting the power of the government over the individual. Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism is a major influence on the party...	-	-	-	10	0.03
99 MP 99 MP Party The 99 MP Party was a small New Zealand political party that contested the 2005 General Election. It supported a reduction of the number of Members of Parliament from 120 to 99.-History:...	-	-	-	9	0.03
Republic of NZ The Republic of New Zealand Party The Republic of New Zealand Party was a political party in New Zealand. The party's registration was cancelled at its own request in 2009...	-	-	-	5	0.02
informal votes		316		111
total valid votes		31,451		31,805
National gain from Labour (open seat) 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:...	Majority	2,052

sourced from electionresults.govt.nz