Not a typical MP background
Interesting profile on Banks Peninsula MP Vanessa Weenink. Her background includes:
- Saw her dad arrested when she was 5 years old
- Almost died at 8 from osteomyelitis
- Her dad died when she was 19
- Went to medical school
- Enlisted in NZ Army and served for 22 years
- Two deployments to Afghanistan and one to East Timor
- Did a 22 hour shift as a triage team leader during the Christchurch earthquake
- Shifted parties from Labour to National as she realised people should have independence, autonomy of thought, and reward for achievement.
- Was Chair of the GP Council of the NZ Medical Assn
Those on the hard left think National MPs all come from privileged backgrounds. The reality is quite different.