Three Christchurch electorates backed cannabis reform
Cantabrians were almost as divided as the nation over cannabis reform, with three electorates voting for legalisation and four against.
In Banks Peninsula 51 per cent of voters backed cannabis legalisation, while in Christchurch Central and Christchurch East it was 54 per cent.
The preliminary results of the cannabis referendum, released on Friday October 30, showed 53.1 per cent of voters said “no” to a question of whether the Government should legislate to legalise recreational cannabis.
In the suburbs of Ilam and Wigram, 53 per cent and 51 per cent voted no.
In the mid-Canterbury electorates there was a more resounding response, with Selwyn (58.9 per cent) and Waimakariri (58.3 per cent) voting no.
Christchurch Central’s 54 per cent backing of cannabis reform contrasts with Wellington Central, where 72 per cent voted yes.
And in Auckland Central – where Green Party drug reform spokeswoman Chloe Swarbrick is the MP – 67 per cent of people voted yes.
Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
🧩😏 Riddle me this, Neighbours…
I am an odd number. Take away a letter and I become even. What number am I?
Do you think you know the answer?
Want to stop seeing these in your newsfeed? No worries! Simply head here and click once on the Following button.
Poll: Canterbury is thriving on paper... but are you seeing evidence of Canterbury's improving economy?
As reported in the Press, Reserve Bank Governor Anna Breman recently gave a shout-out to our region, calling Canterbury a "stand-out" for how we recover from tough times. With tech firms growing and exporters investing, the business side of things is looking bright!
👉 But we know that "business growth" doesn't always mean the weekly shop gets any cheaper. While the city expands, many families feel like they’re just trying to keep their heads above water.
We want to know: With the business buzz of 2026, do you feel like things are finally looking up for your household, or does it still feel like a climb?
-
21.2% Yes
-
60.6% No
-
18.2% In some areas ...
Loading…