Vanushi Walters Photo: ©VNP / Phil Smith
New Zealand's Asian communities eyed greater representation in Parliament in the run-up to the 2023 election, with political parties on both sides of the aisle nominating a diverse list of candidates.
Those hopes were shattered on election night, with just eight of those candidates securing a seat in the Beehive.
This was the same number of Asian-origin MPs in Parliament during the 2020-23 term, as well as the parliamentary term that preceded it.
However, things have improved in terms of Asian representation in Parliament since November 2023.
Andrew Bayly - a National Party list MP - won the Port Waikato by-election on 25 November 2023, propelling Nancy Lu into the House by virtue of being next on the party list and giving Asian MPs their largest representation ever.
The gain didn't last long, with former Iranian refugee and multiple term Green MP Golriz Ghahraman resigning in January 2024 after shoplifting allegations surfaced against her.
In March 2024, Lawrence Xu-Nan was sworn in as a Green Party list MP.
He replaced Greens list MP Fa'anānā Efeso Collins, who died while participating in a charity run in Auckland a month earlier.
Xu-Nan is the first MP of Chinese descent to represent the Greens in Parliament.
In May 2024, former Greens leader James Shaw resigned - making way for Francisco Hernandez, who was born in Manila, Philippines.
Hernandez was ranked 17 on the Greens' party list.
Earlier this month, long-serving Labour MP David Parker delivered his valedictory address to Parliament after calling time on his political career.
As a result, former Labour MP Vanushi Walters was sworn in as an MP in Parker's absence on 13 May for the remainder of the parliamentary term.
Eleven MPs of Asian descent now hold a seat in Parliament, representing the largest such cohort in New Zealand history.
Political priorities
A Sri Lankan New Zealander and former human rights lawyer, Vanushi Walters is Labour's spokesperson for associate foreign affairs as well as the shadow attorney-general.
Walters was pleased to return to Parliament, saying she was honoured to hold the role of shadow attorney-general.
"Democracy is about people, and I believe it's the role of both the attorney-general and the shadow attorney-general to ensure that remains the case," Walters said.
"I look forward to working across the House to ensure that New Zealanders' voices are front and centre where legislative change is proposed, and that we always keep one eye on the rules to which we are accountable as MPs when holding these roles of service."
Walters vowed to encourage young people from multicultural backgrounds to seek public service roles.
"A robust democracy brings together diverse views, backgrounds and experiences, and, as a proud New Zealand with Sri Lankan heritage, I hope I can encourage others from a multicultural background, particularly young people to consider the roles they might contribute to in public spaces such as Parliament," she said.
