From Controversy to Taupō Retreat | Auckland News

Auckland News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jul 26, 2026 · 1m

Former welfare chief Christine Rankin is selling her Taupō home — the same place that once made her the most hated woman in New Zealand — now a peaceful retreat she’s turned into an art-filled haven. After facing threats and bullets with her name on them, she and her husband bought the sprawling 3,000m² property 11 years ago seeking calm, and found community instead, serving as a district councillor and hospice leader. Locals weren’t thrilled at first, but she stuck it out and fell in love with the town — now people stop her everywhere, and she thrives on the connection. The house, with its…