Since the 1969 election, 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.
[2] Together with increased urbanisation in Christchurch and Nelson, the changes proved very disruptive to existing electorates.
[5] Population centres of the original Tasman electorate were Collingwood, Tākaka, Motueka, Richmond, Havelock, Picton, Owen River, Murchison, Saint Arnaud, and Springs Junction.
[10] 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.
[11] After Rowling lost a Labour leadership challenge by David Lange in 1983, he retired at the 1984 election[11] and was succeeded by Ken Shirley in the Tasman electorate.