New ZealandMember of the House of RepresentativesLabour PartyNew Zealand · NationalMember of the New Zealand House of Representatives
Vanushi Walters
Profile
Vanushi Walters is a New Zealand politician and human rights lawyer who serves as a Member of the New Zealand House of Representatives. Born in Sri Lanka, she moved to New Zealand at age five and later earned degrees from the University of Auckland and the University of Oxford. Before entering parliament, she held senior roles in the public and non-profit sectors, including at YouthLaw Aotearoa and the Human Rights Commission. First elected in 2020 as the MP for Upper Harbour, she became the country's first Sri Lankan-born MP. After a brief period out of office following the 2023 election, she returned to Parliament in 2025 and currently holds shadow portfolios including foreign affairs and intelligence oversight.
Details
- Born
- August 1981 · 44 years old
- Birth place
- Sri Lanka
- Education
- University of Auckland (BA, LLB Honours); University of Oxford (Master's in International Human Rights Law)
- Career
- Human rights lawyer, General Manager for YouthLaw Aotearoa, Senior Manager at the Human Rights Commission, Trustee of Foundation North
