South Auckland voters turning away from politics - Labour MP

Labour MP Arena Williams says the party cannot take any seats for granted as South Aucklanders increasingly tune out of traditional politics and mainstream media.

Williams, confirmed for the third time as Labour’s candidate for Manurewa, says her campaign is focussed on tackling community apathy, which she believes is behind low voter turnout in the electorate.

“I love Manurewa, but if we don't get out and have our say at the election box, then we'll never have those things that we need,” Williams tells PMN News.

“Proper investment in our local infrastructure, proper investment in our schools, and those things which make it great to live here in South Auckland, the amazing bush, the incredible Manukau Harbour, and jobs that are close to home, food on the table, good schools.”

According to the latest Census, Manurewa has a population of 110,400, with Pacific people making up almost 40 per cent of residents.

Williams won the Manurewa seat by over 7000 votes over National’s Siva Kilari.

Siva Kilari, National's candidate for Manurewa in the 2023 general elections. Photo: RNZ / Blessen Tom

But voter turnout in 2023 sat at just 63 per cent, with 25 to 44-year-olds participating the least.

That represented a five per cent drop compared with the 2020 election.

Labour’s party vote in Manurewa also fell by over 20 per cent, while National gained over 10 per cent.

Listen to Arena Williams' full interview below.

Neighbouring electorates Takanini and Papakura both recorded turnout above 70 per cent, highlighting a sharper disengagement in Manurewa.

Williams says Labour’s campaign will rely less on traditional media and more on door-knocking to reconnect with her community.

The cost of living remains the biggest issue and she points to supermarket reforms promised by the National-led government that have not yet been delivered.

“The government could be intervening to make sure that prices were coming down, but the only price intervention that they've actually come up with will make it illegal for prices to be lowered when another third competitor comes into the market.”

Finance Minister Nicola Willis says the government has made it easier to build supermarkets in New Zealand.

In a press release following Costco’s announcement to open a second store in South Auckland, Willis says recent legislation has created a “consenting express lane” for supermarkets to be built and approved more quickly.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis. Photo/Supplied

“They are explicitly allowing developments that improve grocery competition to access fast-track approvals, giving greater certainty of costs and timeframes,” Willis says.

“Establishing a nationwide building consenting process for grocery developments so they only need to deal with a single, expert consenting authority; and changing the requirements for MultiProof to allow standardised designs for multiple supermarkets to be consented faster.”

Despite the government’s efforts, Williams says big businesses have been prioritised over community needs, leaving families struggling with costs and some local shops, including a popular bakery in Clendon, to close due to low foot traffic and high unemployment.

“That's why I'm confident that Labour will again be victorious in places like Manurewa and in the three South Auckland electorates where people really feel the impacts of the cost of living, but we need to make sure people know.”

With the election set for 7 November, Williams says she will focus on talking directly to residents to understand why some have turned away from Labour and how to win them back.

“I want to talk to every single one of those people because I want to really understand what it was that turned them away from the working class party that Labour is, and we've got to win them back.”