Marginal battleground

Rongotai

General electorate

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days to election day

What it takes to flip this seat

Julie Anne Genter won by 2,717 votes in 2023. Just 1,359 voters switching to a challenger would have flipped Rongotai.

In the news

Coverage naming Rongotai or Julie, from our tracked feeds.

The roster

The defender's record, and who's confirmed to challenge them in 2026.

Won Rongotai by a majority of 2,717 in 2023, making it a marginal seat.

Julie Anne Genter is an American-born New Zealand politician who is a member of the House of Representatives representing the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand. Genter was elected to each Parliament from 2011 to 2023 on the party lists, before being elected as the Member of Parliament for the Rongotai electorate in the 2023 election. She served as the Minister for Women, Associate Minister for Health and Associate Minister for Transport during the first term of the Sixth Labour Government. She holds dual citizenship of New Zealand and the United States.

Full MP profile

What Julie has prioritised this term

Official roles, sourced from parliament.nz.

Spokesperson roles

Building and Construction
Economic Development
Infrastructure
Transport

Select committees

Environment

Legislative activity this term

From Parliament's official bills record, as at 28 August 2026.

Members' bill in the ballot (1)

Chromated Copper Arsenate Treated Timber (Restricted Use) Legislation Bill

Written questions to Ministers this term

What is this, and why does it matter to you?

Any MP can put a written question to a Minister, demanding information on the record. The Minister must reply, usually within days. It costs nothing and needs no debate, which makes it the main day-to-day tool MPs use to hold the government to account between bills. It matters most for opposition MPs, who can't pass laws but can still force information into the open. Which Ministers an MP questions most, below, is a numbers-based picture of what they watch on your behalf, and it's worth comparing against what they say they prioritise.

462written questions asked since the 2023 election

Where it's gone, by Minister

Minister of Transport

363

Minister for Rail

Minister of Health

Battlegrounds map 2026 election

2023 result and margin: Electoral Commission. 2026 candidates are added only once officially confirmed — never assumed.

Read 5 recent questions & replies, in Julie’s and the Minister’s own words

To the Minister for Rail · 2026-07-15

"Are the new Cook Strait ferries still expected to be delivered by 2029, and if not, when are they expected to be ready for service?"

Reply: Yes.

To the Minister of Transport · 2026-06-16

"Will Waka Kotahi's work on identifying critical work versus activities that could be deferred, include the Roads of Natioinal Signifiance programme, and if so, when will this work be completed and made public?"

Reply: I have previously advised of the need to sequence Roads of National Significance projects over time based on efficiency, strategic fit, and deliverability due to funding and capacity constraints. This exercise is ongoing, and further information will be shared publicly when appropriate.

To the Minister of Transport · 2026-06-16

"When will the new draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport be released for consultation?"

Reply: Announcements will be made in due course.

To the Minister of Transport · 2026-06-05

"What specific measures, if any, has the New Zealand Transport Agency implemented in the last 12 months to strengthen its infrastructure alliance contracts against financial mismanagement, and how is the effectiveness of these measures being independently audited, if at all?"

Reply: NZTA manages the finances and any potential conflicts with clearly documented processes supported internally (within Alliances) and externally (by NZTA and independent auditors). Within Alliances, this includes defined commercial frameworks for assessing cost eligibility, project-level payment claim reviews, independent external Alliance audit processes, and structured governance arrangements to review, challenge, and escalate cost issues. Any identified instances of potentially fraudulent activ…

To the Minister of Transport · 2026-06-05

"For each of the six roading contracts currently under investigation by the New Zealand Transport Agency or external agencies, what is the total initial approved budget, the total amount spent to date, and the total dollar value of unapproved or disputed costs identified by investigators, listed by project?"

Reply: It would not be appropriate to comment on the specific issues raised as the matters remain under investigation. Providing further detail at this stage could prejudice those investigations and any related processes.