Aotea / Great Barrier Local Board

Aotea / Great Barrier Local Board is one of the 21 local boards of the Auckland Council, and is represented by the council's Waitematā and Gulf Ward councillor.^[1]

Aotea / Great Barrier Local Board Te Poari ā-Rohe o Aotea
Local board of Aotea / Great Barrier Island
Country	New Zealand
Region	Auckland
Territorial authority	Auckland Council
Ward	Waitematā and Gulf Ward
Legislated	2010
Area
• Land	320.28 km2 (123.66 sq mi)

Local Board Members
Leadership
Chairperson	Izzy Fordham, Independent
Deputy chairperson	Chris Ollivier, Independent
Structure
Seats	5
Political groups	Independents (5)
Length of term	3 years
Elections
Last election	2022
Next election	2025
Meeting place
81 Hector Sanderson Road, Claris, Great Barrier Island

The board's administrative area covers whole of the Great Barrier Island.^[2]

The board is governed by five board members elected at-large. The inaugural members were elected in the nationwide 2010 local elections, coinciding with the introduction of the Auckland Council.

Demographics

Aotea/Great Barrier local board covers 320.28 km² (123.66 sq mi)^[3] and had an estimated population of 1,260 as of June 2024,^[4] with a population density of 3.9 people per km².

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2006	894	—
2013	939	+0.70%
2018	936	−0.06%
2023	1,251	+5.97%
Source: [5][6]

Aotea/Great Barrier local board had a population of 1,251 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 315 people (33.7%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 312 people (33.2%) since the 2013 census. There were 669 males, 579 females and 6 people of other genders in 705 dwellings.^[7] 3.6% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 51.0 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 168 people (13.4%) aged under 15 years, 153 (12.2%) aged 15 to 29, 606 (48.4%) aged 30 to 64, and 324 (25.9%) aged 65 or older.^[6]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 89.7% European (Pākehā); 22.8% Māori; 2.2% Pasifika; 1.7% Asian; 0.7% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.9% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.6%, Māori language by 3.6%, and other languages by 8.2%. No language could be spoken by 1.7% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.2%. The percentage of people born overseas was 19.2, compared with 28.8% nationally.^[6]

Religious affiliations were 18.7% Christian, 0.2% Hindu, 1.4% Māori religious beliefs, 0.7% Buddhist, 1.2% New Age, 0.2% Jewish, and 1.4% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 67.6%, and 8.9% of people did not answer the census question.^[6]

Of those at least 15 years old, 222 (20.5%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 582 (53.7%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 273 (25.2%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $28,500, compared with $41,500 nationally. 57 people (5.3%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 402 (37.1%) people were employed full-time, 222 (20.5%) were part-time, and 33 (3.0%) were unemployed.^[6]

2022-25 term

The board's term currently runs from the 2022 Local Body Elections to the local body elections in 2025. The current board members are:^[8]

Izzy Fordham (Chair), Independent

Patrick O'Shea (Deputy Chair), Independent

Neil Sanderson, Independent

Chris Ollivier, Independent

Laura Caine, None