Sri Lankan-born Human Rights lawyer in New Zealand, Vanushi Walters has won the seat in Auckland’s Upper Harbour.
She is the first Sri Lankan born Member of New Zealand’s Parliament. Vanushi is the great-granddaughter of Lady Naysum Saravanamuttu the first elected Female Tamil legislator and the second female legislator in Sri Lanka. Her parents are Janakumar Rajanayagam and Prithiva Mather.
Labour’s Vanushi Walters won the race to be Upper Harbour MP in northwest Auckland, taking over from retiring National MP Paula Bennett.
She claimed a narrow victory over National candidate Jake Bezzant, a former tech company chief executive and cricketer for Hamilton, receiving 14,142 votes to Bezzant’s 12,727.
