Massey is a north-western suburb in the city ofAuckland, New Zealand. It was formerly a northern suburb of Waitakere City, which existed from 1989 to 2010 before the city was amalgamated into Auckland Council. The suburb was named after former Prime Minister of New ZealandWilliam Massey. Massey is a relatively large suburb and can be divided into three reasonably distinctive areas, Massey West, Massey East and Massey North. Parts of Massey East are also known as 'Royal Heights', which is home to the Royal Heights shopping centre. The suburb features the , Library. The Westgate Shopping Centre on Hobsonville Road next to the north-western motorway and NorthWest Shopping Centre to the north of Hobsonville Road are north of Massey.
Demographics
Massey, comprising the statistical areas of Westgate South, Massey Central, Massey Royal Road West, Massey West, Massey East and Massey South, had a population of 17,676 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 1,671 people since the 2013 census, and an increase of 3,243 people since the 2006 census. There were 4,980 households. There were 8,907 males and 8,769 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.02 males per female, with 4,152 people aged under 15 years, 4,308 aged 15 to 29, 7,767 aged 30 to 64, and 1,452 aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 47.6% European/Pākehā, 19.5% Māori, 23.8% Pacific peoples, 25.1% Asian, and 3.6% other ethnicities. The proportion of people born overseas was 36.5%, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people objected to giving their religion, 40.8% had no religion, 40.9% were Christian, and 12.9% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 2,556 people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 2,307 people had no formal qualifications. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 7,347 people were employed full-time, 1,614 were part-time, and 687 were unemployed.
Education
Massey is home to one secondary school, Massey High School, where the principal is former Tall Blacks captain Glen Denham as well as several primary schools, including Lincoln Heights School, Royal Road Primary School, Massey Primary School and Don Buck Primary School. Massey is not home to Massey University, which is based in Palmerston North with its Auckland campus at Albany.
Governance
In New Zealand'snational Parliament, Massey is represented by Member for Upper Harbour, National MP Paula Bennett who won the electorate in 2014 and 2017. As of the 2017 election no other MP who contested the Upper Harbour electorate has been represented in parliament as a list MP. Prior to changes in electorate boundaries, Massey fell within the Te Atatū electorate and was represented in 2011 by Member for Te Atatū, Labour MP Phil Twyford. In terms of regional governance, Massey falls within the Waitākere Ward and subsequently under the Henderson-Massey Local Board area of the Auckland City council. The Henderson-Massey local board area covers the suburbs of West Harbour, Massey, Ranui, Te Atatū Peninsula, Te Atatū South, Lincoln, Henderson, Western Heights, Glendene, and Sunnyvale and contained a population of 107,685 in the 2013 census. Previously Massey fell under the Massey Ward which contained the suburbs of Whenuapai, Hobsonville, Herald Island, West Harbour, Massey, Ranui, and Henderson North.
Sport
The local rugby club is a member of the North Harbour Rugby Union and won the championship 6 times. Former All Black Jonah Lomu signed to play for Massey in 2005, but due to an injury was unable to play for them that season. He did however eventually make his debut for the club in 2006.
