Advocating for Banks Peninsula: MP Dr Vanessa Weenink
It’s been a busy two years for the incoming member of parliament for Banks Peninsula.
My first challenge was the Port Hills fire in February 2024, which scorched over 700 hectares. The heroic efforts of the emergency crews and the quick response from the Council ensured the fire was well-managed.
The next emergency was the flooding in May this year. Te Kuru stormwater basin was instrumental in keeping the flooding to a minimum. However, Little River was not so fortunate. I joined Emergency Minister Mark Mitchell again at the Emergency Operations Centre and saw the devastation from above. I visited locals, spoke with farmers, and worked with Mark on the opening of Lake Forsyth to reduce future flooding risks.
I have been lucky to work alongside passionate local councillors such as Halswell Councillor Andrei Moore and Heathcote Councillor Sara Templeton to get better community outcomes. Together, we ensured the pedestrian crossing outside of Halswell School would be safer and stopped closure of the Heathcote expressway.
I have presented five petitions to Parliament, sent out five constituent surveys, and hosted various ministers, including the prime minister, to highlight our needs and aspirations as an electorate.
I have had the pleasure of hosting over 30 community drop-in sessions and several pub politics events all over the electorate. I have held four public meetings on infrastructure, speed limits, and getting part of Banks Peninsula registered as Dark Sky Reserve.
My office staff have helped hundreds of constituents, including advocating for important community projects such as the Woolston Development Project, and the Akaroa Resilience Working Group.
I have had the privilege to visit business owners and staff and spent time volunteering with community groups to ensure I am learning and hearing from everyone.
Announcements I’ve been a part of include a new primary school for Halswell, extra classrooms for Cashmere High, Somerfield, and Halswell Schools, taking the SH75 back to 100km, and the Brougham Street upgrade. Together, let’s continue to build a resilient and thriving Banks Peninsula.
