Venkat Raman
Auckland, June 14, 2020
Voting delegates of the National Party have chosen Rima Nakhle as their candidate to contest from the newly created Takanini Constituency in South Auckland.
She defeated three other candidates at the ‘Members-only, local electorate’ selection held on Saturday, June 13, 2020.
About Te Mahia Community Village
Born in Sydney, Australia, Ms Nakhle belongs to the legal profession, having enrolled as a Barrister and Solicitor across the Tasman, after graduating in Law from Western University of Sydney.
She migrated to New Zealand eight years ago (2012) following her marriage
As Executive Manager at Te Mahia Community Village, a family businesses based in Takanini, she is closely associated with the local communities.
Te Mahia Community Village is a Boarding House accommodation facility, providing fully furnished short term emergency accommodation. The company website said that the business is currently in the process of upgradation, with future facilities to include new playgrounds, landscaping and new community rooms.
Te Mahia Community Village works closely with the New Zealand Police and engages with communities through Business Association events, school fundraisers, soup kitchens, food parcel delivery to the elderly and presentations on the positive achievements.
‘Exciting New Opportunity’
Ms Nakhle described her selection as National’s candidate as “an exciting new opportunity.”
“Takanini is a growing area with hard working families who are trying to get ahead. They, alongside the rest of New Zealand, are facing tough economic times, and they need a National Government to help guide them through these times. Only National has the team with the experience and know how to rebuild our economy and provide jobs for the people of Takanini,” she said.
She accused the current government of having ‘talking a lot and promising even more.’
“There is a difference between delivering messages and being able to deliver what is promised in those messages. National can be counted on to deliver for our families. In the good times, the government has struggled to deliver on its promises, particularly around infrastructure. We are now facing a serious economic crisis, and Takanini needs to have confidence that its Government can meet the task,” Ms Nakhle said.
A National Party press release said that she is passionate about local initiatives and fundraising events and, sponsoring various sports teams and local athletes, as she believes sports play a pivotal role in improving people’s lives.
About Takanini Electorate
Based on population statistics, each General Electorate in North Island consists of 64,899 people and 65,458 people for each South Island General Electorate
The Takanini Electorate is located in the far South of Auckland on the edge of the City’s built-up area. It stretches from Wattle Downs in its Southwest to Mission Heights in the north.
It was created out of Eastern parts of Manurewa around Goodwood Heights and Greenmeadows, a small part of North-Eastern Hunua around Mission Heights and a Northern section of Papakura around Takanini and Wattle Downs. This was due to rapid population growth in the area caused mainly by the outward expansion of Auckland.[
When the Electoral Commission reviewed boundary changes and creation of new electorate in South Auckland, the name suggested was Flat Bush.
The public consultation and submission process brought forth objections related to the boundary and name of the Electorate.
Here is one of them:
“I wish to make an objection to the name of the proposed Flat Bush Electorate. I also wish to comment of the proposed boundaries of the Flat Bush electorate and adjacent electorates. The Flat Bush electorate consists of communities that come from Hunua, Manurewa and Papakura.
“The largest concentration of population (32,800) is moved from Papakura to Flat Bush, but this coupled with 6400 around Greenmeadows means that 59% of the proposed population of the new seat is broadly aligned with the south of the new Electorate. While the proposed boundary change is accepted, the Commission may wish to consider changing the name of the new electorate to better reflect the balance of communities. It is recommended that the new seat be named: “Flat Bush-Takaanini” to reflect communities of interest.
“The boundaries of the new Electorate mean an electoral population that is 2.2% at variance with the North Island general electorate population quota, but this is projected to increase to 8.1% by 2023. Some of the fastest growing areas of the new electorate are based on Takaanini and Flat Bush. Further growth is also occurring in Wattle Downs, which reflects the fast-changing nature of outer suburban Auckland. On balance, the proposed boundary is appropriate but a further and significant consequential change is likely to be required following the 2023 election.”
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