National shielding candidate from interviews after his electorate volunteer’s sex conviction discovered

The National Party is not allowing the media to interview Palmerston North candidate Ankit Bansal after the Herald revealed Bansal’s electorate committee member, Roger Buchanan, had been convicted of sexual conduct with a minor, which National claims Bansal and the party were not aware of. 

It comes as National says it stands with victims of sexual violence but is not offering a message for the woman who said she felt groomed by Buchanan. 

The Herald has also confirmed through the Electoral Commission that Buchanan was approved by Bansal to act as an authorised special vote witness, which involves aiding people with disability, health issues and poor mobility to vote. 

National yesterday axed Buchanan as a member of its Palmerston North electorate committee after the Herald obtained several photos of Buchanan alongside Bansal and other National figures, including leader Christopher Luxon, at campaign events. 

In 2021, Stuff reported Buchanan was sentenced in the Palmerston North District Court to 10 months’ home detention for sexual conduct with a minor while working as a teacher. 

The article said Buchanan, who was described as well known in the community through Rotary and his involvement in musical productions, had initiated a relationship with a student at the school he taught at. 

National leader Christopher Luxon poses for a picture with electorate committee member Roger Buchanan (far right). Photo / Supplied 

It referenced comments from the student, who said she felt she had been groomed by Buchanan, which had a significant impact on her school achievement and mental wellbeing. The article said Buchanan told police any sexual activity happened after the student turned 16 and that it was consensual. 

Alongside home detention, Buchanan was ordered to pay $15,000 reparation but was not placed on the child sex offender register. 

Buchanan declined the Herald’s request for comment yesterday which was passed on by an associate of his. The Herald has approached the same associate with another request for comment for this article. 

National told the Herald in a statement yesterday that Buchanan had been removed as a campaign volunteer and a member of Bansal’s electorate committee after the party learned of the conviction. 

The statement included that National “stands with victims of sexual violence”. 

Bansal did not respond to the Herald’s requests for an interview yesterday. 

The Herald today sent a request to the National Party to interview Bansal, listing a series of questions regarding Bansal’s relationship with Buchanan, what duties Buchanan carried out as part of his electorate committee, what vetting Buchanan went through, and whether the party had a message for the woman who said Buchanan groomed her. 

National candidates Ankit Bansal (second from left) and Suze Redmayne (centre) are seen with National Palmerston North electorate committee member Roger Buchanan (far left). Photo / Supplied 

The party declined the Herald’s request, instead responding with a one-sentence statement from Bansal which claimed the candidate had learned of Buchanan’s history yesterday and “acted immediately” to remove him. 

The Herald has also learned Buchanan had been approved to act as an authorised special voting witness, which helped facilitate voting for people with health or mobility issues who couldn’t attend a voting booth in person. 

The Electoral Commission confirmed to the Herald Buchanan’s approval as an authorised witness, which required sign-off from Bansal as the candidate. 

“Their role involves collecting and delivering take-away voting papers, witnessing the special vote declarations and returning the completed voting papers,” the commission said in a statement. 

Adam Pearse is the Deputy Political Editor and part of the NZ Herald’s Press Gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington. He has worked for NZME since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei and the Herald in Auckland.