Well, it certainly looks like they try to optimize the impact of their election lolly scramble. Everybody needs to pay for the lollies, but they are clearly only spread in districts where they hope to regain a seat.
South Island overall gets hardly anything from the lolly scramble despite containing some of the fastest growing regions in NZ. You are right to point out the unfairness related to Nelson, but some others are still worse off. Canterbury has roughly 10% of the NZ population and contains some of NZ's fastest growing districts (e.g.
Selwyn) with significant traffic issues. Government gives us only 2.5% of the funds.
I guess this will teach us to vote for National - or will it?