Tasman (New Zealand electorate)

Tasman is a former New Zealand parliamentary electorate, from 1972 to 1996.

Population centres
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 (including Tasman). In the North Island, five electorates were abolished, two electorates were recreated, and six electorates were newly created. The Tasman and West Coast electorates replaced the former Buller and Westland electorates in 1972.

Population centres of the original Tasman electorate were Collingwood, Tākaka, Motueka, Richmond, Havelock, Picton, Owen River, Murchison, Saint Arnaud, and Springs Junction. In the 1977 electoral redistribution, the city of Nelson had experienced population growth and many of the Nelson suburbs were transferred from the electorate to the Tasman electorate. To compensate for this, Springs Junction went to the West Coast electorate, and Picton was transferred to the electorate. There were only minor boundary changes through the 1983 electoral redistribution. In the 1987 electoral redistribution, the remaining area of the Marlborough Sounds including Havelock transferred to the Marlborough electorate.

History
Labour's Bill Rowling had represented the electorate since the 1962 Buller by-election and when Buller was abolished in 1972, Rowling transferred to the Tasman electorate. Rowling was leader of the Labour Party from 1974 to 1983, and was Prime Minister at the beginning of that period (September 1974 – December 1975) while representing Tasman. After Rowling lost a Labour leadership challenge by David Lange in 1983, he retired at the and was succeeded by Ken Shirley in the Tasman electorate. Shirley was defeated in by Nick Smith of the National Party.

In 1996, the first mixed-member proportional (MMP) election, the electorate was combined with the electorate to form the  electorate. At that time, Smith transferred to the Nelson electorate.

Members of Parliament
Key