NZ Election 2026

Banks Peninsula electorate

Banks Peninsula covers the area to the east and south of Christchurch, including Akaroa, Lyttleton, and southern Christchurch suburbs such as Oaklands, Woolston, and Kennedys Bush. It is held by National’s Vanessa Weenink, who narrowly won the electorate for the first time in 2023 with a margin of 17,860. National also won the party vote with 32% of the vote, followed by Labour at 27%. The electorate had the highest turnout of any electorate at the 2023 election.

Banks Peninsula candidates

Explore the candidates in your area

Craig Pauling

Green Party

Zachary Wellman

ACT Party

Vanessa Weenink

National Party

Amy Turner

Conservative Party NZ

Kyle Turnbull

Alliance Party

Rebecca Cleaver

Animal Justice Party

Lindsay Kerslake

NZ First

Tracey McLellan

Labour Party

Vanessa Weenink

National Party

Why I'm standing

I want New Zealand to be safe and prosperous so that my son and his friends will stay and raise their children here. I love this country and have always wanted to serve it, which is why I was in the Army. Being a politician is another form of service.

About me

I am a good listener, a skill I learned well as a GP looking after families and individuals. I've got a wealth of experience, and I bring a variety of skills to the job.

My priorities

  1. Advocate for a decision on the future of Princess Margaret Hospital. Ensure the community is heard.
  2. Advocate for safety improvements on State Highway 75, because there are dangerous intersections.
  3. Work with CCC to secure a city and regional deal with government, because that will help us grow.

Get across the policies, candidates and parties

Don’t know who to vote for? Policy.nz is the complete guide to the 2026 general election. Compare the parties, candidates and policies to see where you stand.

Policies

Compare the parties’ positions on the key issues this election

Candidates

See the electorate candidates running in your local area

Parties

Learn about each political party, its leaders and candidate list

Things to know...

Your two votes shape New Zealand’s next parliament. You need to be enrolled to vote.

Read explainer

  • Enrol to vote by Sunday 25 October

    You need to be enrolled before you can vote. You can enrol online at vote.nz.

  • Voting day is Saturday 7 November

    Head to your nearest voting place on the day, or vote early from 26 October.

  • You get two votes

    One for a party (the party vote) and one for a person in your area (the electorate vote).

  • Your party vote is the most powerful

    It decides how many seats each party gets in Parliament. That’s what Policy helps you figure out.