Rotorua the laggard in Bay electorate Census 2013 outcome

8 October 2013

Newly released Census 2013 figures show Rotorua to be the laggard in population terms in the Bay of Plenty electorates.

Whereas as the Bay of Plenty electorate and those of Taupo and Tauranga all showed growth, Rotorua dipped.

The Bay of Plenty electorate, for example, contained an electorate population of 56,358 at the time of the 2006 Census, according to the Statistics New Zealand release. By 2013, this number had risen to 62,518 or nearly 10 per cent more than in 2006.

The Taupo electorate, which has had a much-publicised problem with a State Highway One bypass, still managed to boost its population by 4.6 per cent, from 59,656 in 2006 to 62,552 in 2013.

Rotorua people continually compare the district’s growth to that of Tauranga, usually in a negative fashion.

Unfortunately, their expectations will again be dashed as the Tauranga electorate grew 8.5 per cent between 2006 and 2013, or up from 57,432 to 62,741.

The Rotorua electorate, by comparison to its BOP neighbours, saw its population more or less freeze, dipping by 1.4 per cent, down 58,827 to 58.002.

The numbers will give more weight to arguments around comparative growth rates in local economies.

The Bay of Plenty electorate growth may also underline changes as more and more people live elsewhere but commute to work in Rotorua.

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