Labour’s Tracey McLellan out of Parliament after special votes counted

Saturday, 4 November 2023

Tracey McLellan is “really disappointed” to lose the race for Banks Peninsula.

Labour’s junior whip Tracy McLellan won’t represent Banks Peninsula or return to Parliament after a neck and neck race with National’s Vanessa Weenink.

Weenink had a preliminary lead of 82 votes, ending with a win of 389 votes after the results of the special votes were revealed on Friday.

McLellan said she was “really disappointed”, but “very pleased” for her colleagues Rachel Boyack and Phil Twyford, who got back their seats in Nelson and Te Atatū with special votes.

McLellan said “no-one is owed any vote” in regards to the 8325 ticks Green candidate Lan Pham received in Banks Peninsula, potentially splitting the left vote.

Vanessa Weenink has confirmed her win in Banks Peninsula, leading by 389 votes.

Pham was “never going to win”, McLellan said, but voters were entitled to support whoever they liked.

McLellan said she’d “had a good catch up” with Weenink and congratulated her on the win.

“The good people of Banks Peninsula are used to a very high standard of service over many years, but I’m sure she will do a great job.”

McLellan would make herself available for Labour during the transition period, but was keen to enjoy “a couple weeks off” before she thought about what was next.

Kahurangi Carter has just slipped into Parliament for the first time, taking the Greens’ 15th seat thanks to special vote results.

Weenink said she was “relieved” and “humbled” to win the electorate.

She said she would make sure that issues for locals - such as health, cost of living, and education - were “heard strongly”.

Weenink acknowledged and thanked McLellan as the electorate’s past MP.

“[My win had] nothing to do with us personally, it’s to do with the fact New Zealanders want change.”

Gerry Brownlee has not confirmed whether he will hold any ministerial positions on his return to Parliament for his 10th term.

Kahurangi Carter would also be heading to Parliament, despite Tamatha Paul’s historic Wellington Central win for the Greens initially leaving Carter’s seat in doubt.

Special votes gave the Greens a 15th seat, letting Carter slip in.

“As an environmentalist, I know we have to look after the planet and we have to look after nature, and literally fight for the future,” she said.

Gerry Brownlee, a National veteran, would return to Parliament as a list MP for his 10th term, having represented Ilam every term except the one just gone.

Laura Trask has confirmed her seat with ACT at 10th on the party’s list.

Brownlee said he was “happy” at his party’s result, but acknowledged the “difficult” outcome for colleagues like Blair Cameron, who lost Nelson to Boyack by 29 votes.

Brownlee was ready to help National deliver on its election promises, “particularly around law and order”, he said.

“The history of National Governments is they pay particular attention to the back pocket of the people who put them there.”

Damien O’Connor did not win the West Coast-Tasman electorate.

He was not entertaining the idea of becoming speaker or getting any ministerial rolls “at all”, noting such decisions were made as a team.

For ACT’s Laura Trask, 10th on her party’s list, special votes confirmed she would be heading to Parliament, with ACT keeping the 11 seats it won on election night.

She was keen to reduce the cost of living, take “tough action” on crime, and aid health and safety reforms.

Maureen Pugh secured the West Coast-Tasman electorate, leading with 1017 votes.

Special votes did not shift the West Coast-Tasman electorate in favour of Labour’s Damien O’Connor, who ended up 1017 votes behind National’s Maureen Pugh.

“My job now is to get on with being a list MP with Labour in a formidable opposition with the Greens and Te Pati Māori,” O’Connor said.

He dismissed speculation that he might step down or retire.

“I’m still here. Politics is full of speculation and most of it is wrong.”

Maureen Pugh said she was pleased to “see the gap widen” after the final votes were counted.

“I understand the faith and obligations on me now from the electorate and I make an absolute commitment: I will not waste my time, I will start lobbying for West Coast-Tasman.”

Other greater Christchurch electorate MPs who are heading to or returning to Parliament include: Duncan Webb (Labour, Christchurch Central); Reuben Davidson (Labour, Christchurch East); Hamish Campbell (National, Ilam); Megan Woods (Labour, Wigram); Nicola Grigg (National, Selwyn); Matt Doocey (National, Waimakariri); and Tākuta Ferris (Te Pāti Māori; Te Tai Tonga).

Greater Christchurch’s List MPs are Gerry Brownlee (National); Kahurangi Carter (Green); Lan Pham (Green); Rino Tirikatene (Labour); and Laura Trask (ACT).

* Tracey McLellan could return to parliament as a list MP, depending on any resignations of senior Labour MPs.