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Freedoms New Zealand
Co-leaders
FounderBrian Tamaki
Founded22 February 2022
Think tankThe Freedoms & Rights Coalition
IdeologyAnti-vaccine sentiment[1]
Anti-lockdown politics
Right-wing populism[1][2]
Political positionRight-wing[1]
Members
Former members
Colors  Purple
  Turquoise
  Dark blue
MPs in the House of Representatives
0 / 120
Website
freedomsnz.org.nz

Freedoms New Zealand, also known as Freedoms NZ: Uniting Political Parties and Freedom Movements,[3] is a registered political alliance in New Zealand, founded on 22 August 2022 by Brian Tamaki following a series of protests. Today it is co-led by Tamaki and Sue Grey. It is an "umbrella party", consisting of an alliance between Tamaki's Freedom and Rights Coalition organisation, the registered Vision NZ and Outdoors & Freedom parties, and the unregistered Yes Aotearoa and Rock The Vote NZ parties.

In the 2023 New Zealand general election, Freedoms New Zealand received 0.33% of the party vote and did not win any electorate seats, so did not enter parliament.

Formation and membership

[edit]

Freedoms NZ was founded by Brian Tamaki, and is the third political party he has been connected to. Destiny New Zealand, a party associated with Tamaki's Destiny Church, existed from 2003 to 2007 and did not succeed in any elections. Vision NZ launched in 2019, and received 0.1% of the party vote at the 2020 election.

Tamaki announced the creation of Freedoms NZ on 22 August 2022 during the "People's court" protest in Wellington. He described it as an "umbrella of hope".[4] The party's goals according to Tamaki would be to address the cost of living crisis, health, gang crime, as well as the shared goal of seeing "the political establishment cleaned out".[3]

Original members

[edit]

At its formation, Tamaki announced that the party consisted of the Vision NZ Party, the New Nation Party, and the NZ Outdoors & Freedom Party.[4] However, the latter responded that Tamaki had "jumped the gun" and that they "requested time to discuss the issues together".[5][6][7] Outdoors and Freedom Party president Alan Simmonds later expressed his concerns of being "labelled a totally freedom nutter party".[8][9]

A number of other politicians and parties declined to join, despite being specifically encouraged to consider it by Tamaki in his announcement speech. These included New Conservative Party, New Zealand First, and newly independent MP Gaurav Sharma.[10] Similarly, when The Freedoms & Rights Coalition issued a statement expressing interest for the participation of several additional parties, none of them joined. These included Matt King's DemocracyNZ, Heartland New Zealand Party, ONE Party, Social Credit Party, Sustainable New Zealand Party, The Opportunities Party, and the New Zealand TEA Party.[11]

The party applied for registration on 28 November.[12] Registration was approved on 16 February 2023.[13]

2023 expansion and co-leadership

[edit]

The Outdoors & Freedom Party changed its earlier position and joined Freedoms NZ in May 2023, at the same time as unregistered parties Yes Aotearoa and Rock the Vote New Zealand.[14] Outdoors & Freedom co-leader Sue Grey was announced as the co-leader of Freedoms NZ alongside Tamaki.[15][16] Grey said Freedoms NZ was open to incorporating the Leighton Baker Party and DemocracyNZ, though Leighton Baker ruled his party out.[17]

On 31 May Freedoms NZ, the Outdoors & Freedom Party, and Vision NZ sought a joint judicial review of the Electoral Commission's decision to allocate broadcasting funds to them collectively rather than as individual political parties. The Electoral Commission had decided to allocate broadcasting funds to them collectively on the basis that they were a "group of parties" that had joined forces.

Outdoors & Freedom held back on registering itself as an official "component party" of Freedoms NZ while the plaintiffs argued in court that the Broadcasting Act 1989 did not clearly define a "group of parties" and that the Electoral Commission had no clear way of deciding when a group met the (undeclared) criteria.[18][19] The New Zealand High Court dismissed the plaintiffs' claims.[20] Outdoors & Freedom registered as a component party shortly afterwards.[21]

By September 2023, the New Nation Party – a founding member – had left.

Reactions

[edit]

New Zealand's four largest parties all ruled out working with Freedom NZ.[22][6] David Seymour, the leader of ACT New Zealand, said, "I don't think that you could have a serious conversation with people who hold a show trial for crimes against humanity".[6] The Green Party's Marama Davidson stated that "it is far too dangerous to be able to even consider working" with the party considering their "violent agenda" and "exploitation of people".[6]

The National Party did not formally rule out working with the party when first asked.[2] Its leader Christopher Luxon instead said he doubted the party would enter parliament[23][24] and told reporters to "read between the lines", stating that National had little in common with the party.[6] Grant Robertson of the Labour Party criticised Luxon for failing to give a clear statement on National's position on the party.[6] Some days later, National formally ruled out working with Freedoms NZ.[22]

2023 general election

[edit]
Photos of Brian Tamaki and Sue Grey on a large hoarding that says, "Party Vote Freedoms New Zealand. We stood then, we stand now".
A Freedoms New Zealand party campaign sign from the 2023 election

Brian Tamaki stated in May 2023 that he believed the party could get 20% of the vote in that year's general election.[25] As of September 2023, 1News Verian polls indicated that total support for Freedoms NZ and its component parties to sat between 0% and 0.8%.[26][27][28][29][30][31] On 10 August, a Taxpayers' Union-Curia poll listed Vision NZ on 1.1% and Outdoors and Freedom on 0.5%, for a total vote share of 1.6%.[32]

While Freedoms New Zealand campaigned for the party vote, component parties ran their own electorate candidates. These included Sue Grey standing for Outdoors & Freedom in West Coast-Tasman, and Vision NZ's Karl Mokaraka in Panmure-Ōtāhuhu.[33][34]

Disruptions of other parties' events

[edit]

In August Mokaraka and a group of supporters chased Labour leader Chris Hipkins with horns and loudspeakers to spoil a campaign visit to the Ōtara Markets.[35] Eight days later Mokaraka disrupted a press conference by climbing a fence to heckle National leader Christopher Luxon and transport spokesman Simeon Brown in Pakuranga. The press conference was abandoned.[36][37] Hipkins said that "Brian Tamaki and his mob are very determined to disrupt the election campaign...Ultimately, that's anti-democratic...I don’t think a party that thought it had any shot at getting into parliament would be doing that."[38] Tamaki described Mokaraka's actions as "brilliant" and suggested that a vision from God had shown him more such disruption during the coming campaign.[39]

On 2 September, Chris Hipkins' speech at the Labour Party's official campaign launch in Auckland was interrupted three times by Freedoms NZ protestors. They were removed by security and at least one was arrested.[40] Another group of Freedoms NZ protesters appeared outside a New Zealand First rally in Nelson a week later, prompting leader Winston Peters to say, "About eight months ago they wanted me to join them".[41]

Karl Mokaraka disguised himself to enter the ACT Party campaign launch a fortnight later. During leader David Seymour's speech, Mokoraka stood on his third-row seat to interrupt the event. He called himself "the man on the fence" - a reference to the National Party press conference he'd spoiled a few weeks earlier - and yelled for several minutes.[42] Later, two other hecklers were removed, one of whom cried out, "Party vote Freedoms".[43]

28 September protest

[edit]

On September 28 the Freedoms & Rights Coalition brought thousands of protesters to Parliament again.[44] The crowd was led by Brian Tamaki, who called for a "ballot box revolution", and also addressed by both Hannah Tamaki and Sue Grey. The protest was reported to have "fizzled out" after about two hours.[45]

Results

[edit]

In the 2023 New Zealand general election, Freedoms New Zealand received 0.33% of the party vote (9,586 votes) and did not win any electorate seats, meaning it did not enter parliament. Brian Tamaki did not contest an electorate, Sue Grey came seventh of nine in West Coast-Tasman, Hannah Tamaki came last of five in Tāmaki Makaurau, and Donna Pokere-Phillips came last of three in Hauraki-Waikato.[46][47][48]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "Freedoms NZ". Policy.nz. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  2. ^ a b Shaw, Richard (25 August 2022). "Refusing to rule out working with Brian Tamaki, Luxon gives NZ's populist right a 'sniff of credibility'". The Conversation. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  3. ^ a b Manhire, Toby (6 August 2022). "Brian Tamaki claims four parties to join in new umbrella group to contest election". The Spinoff. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Brian Tamaki announces new political party". NZ Herald. 22 August 2022. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  5. ^ "Brian Tamaki 'jumped the gun' – Outdoors and Freedom Party". 1 News. 24 August 2022. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Witton, Bridie (24 August 2022). "Parties line up against National for refusing to rule out working with Brian Tamaki's Freedoms NZ". Stuff. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  7. ^ Sowman-Lund, Stewart (24 August 2022). "Tamaki's new Freedoms coalition hits a bump in the road". The Spinoff. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  8. ^ "Brian Tamaki's Freedom NZ applies for formal party registration". The Spinoff. 28 November 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2022. Tamaki had originally declared that the Outdoors and Freedom Party would be part of the umbrella group, but that has failed to transpire.
  9. ^ Wilson, Janet (26 August 2022). "Janet Wilson: In the parliamentary circus, there are as many clowns inside as outside". Stuff. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  10. ^ Sowman-Lund, Stewart (23 August 2022). "Tamaki announces new 'Freedoms' party, calls for Gaurav Sharma to join". The Spinoff. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  11. ^ "MINOR PARTIES UNITE". TFRC. The Freedoms & Rights Coalition. 18 April 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  12. ^ "Application to register a political party". Electoral Commission. 28 November 2022.
  13. ^ "Registration of Freedoms New Zealand". Electoral Commission. 16 February 2023. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  14. ^ "Outdoors Party reveals it's joining forces with Brian Tamaki's Freedoms NZ". Newshub. 13 May 2023. Archived from the original on 15 May 2023.
  15. ^ "Brian Tamaki to run for Parliament as Freedom NZ leader". Radio New Zealand. 13 May 2023. Archived from the original on 24 May 2023.
  16. ^ Hollingworth, Adam (13 May 2023). "Election 2023: Brian Tamaki's 'umbrella party' believes they could get 20 percent of vote". Newshub. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023.
  17. ^ Roberts, Nadine (7 June 2023). "Freedom movement splintering amid infighting and the formation of new political party". Stuff. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  18. ^ Griffiths, Ethan (31 May 2023). "Sue Grey and Brian Tamaki launch High Court action over election campaign funding". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  19. ^ "Minor parties sue over election broadcasting advertising funding". Stuff. 20 June 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  20. ^ The High Court of New Zealand (17 July 2023). "New Zealand Outdoors and Freedom Party v the Electoral Commission [2023] NZHC 1823" (PDF). NZ Law Association.
  21. ^ "Register of political parties". Elections. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  22. ^ a b Witton, Bridie (1 September 2022). "National rules out working with Freedoms NZ, a new political party formed of fringe groups". Stuff. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  23. ^ "Christopher Luxon says too early to talk about coalition with new Freedoms NZ party". RNZ. 24 August 2022. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  24. ^ "Luxon 'doesn't anticipate' Freedoms NZ entering Parliament". 1 News. Radio New Zealand. 24 August 2022. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  25. ^ Hollingworth, Adam (13 May 2023). "Election 2023: Brian Tamaki's 'umbrella party' believes they could get 20 percent of vote". Newshub. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  26. ^ "March 2023 Full 1NEWS Kantar Public Poll Report | PDF | Cost Of Living | Voting". Scribd. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  27. ^ "1News Kantar Public Poll For May 25". Scribd. 25 May 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  28. ^ "July_2023_1 NEWS Verian Poll Report No Supplementary Questions Version (002) | PDF | Opinion Poll | Sampling (Statistics)". Scribd. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  29. ^ "July 2023 1news Verian Poll Report | PDF | Opinion Poll | Cost Of Living". Scribd. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  30. ^ "August - 2023 - 1 NEWS Verian Poll Report Nonsupplementary Question Version | PDF". Scribd. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  31. ^ "1News Verian Poll Report Short Version September 23–26". Scribd. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
  32. ^ "Taxpayers Union poll suggests seven seats for NZ First, in opposition". RNZ. 10 August 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  33. ^ Sowman-Lund, Stewart (9 September 2023). "How can a candidate be running for two different parties?". The Spinoff. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  34. ^ Hopgood, Sela Jane (21 August 2023). "Chris Hipkins' frantic Ōtara visit is a worrying sign of things to come". The Spinoff. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  35. ^ McConnell, Glenn (20 August 2023). "The political divide drowns out Chris Hipkins, splits families in Ōtara". Radio New Zealand. Stuff. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  36. ^ Pearse, Adam (28 August 2023). "Live: National leader Christopher Luxon press conference interrupted by Freedoms NZ candidate". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  37. ^ McConnell, Glenn (28 August 2023). "Christopher Luxon tells heckler he's 'no Slim Shady' after being told to 'please stand up' at hijacked media event". Stuff. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  38. ^ Manhire, Toby (28 August 2023). "'Brian Tamaki and his mob are determined to disrupt … That's anti-democratic' – Hipkins". The Spinoff. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  39. ^ Leahy, Ben (29 August 2023). "Election 2023: Brian Tamaki 'disruption' campaign: Church and political leader wants to break Parliament apart". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  40. ^ "Watch: Labour launch hijacked by Freedoms NZ, Hipkins' speech interrupted three times". The New Zealand Herald. 2 September 2023. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  41. ^ Hubbard, Catherine (10 September 2023). "Māori are 'not indigenous', Winston Peters claims". Stuff. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  42. ^ Manhire, Toby (16 September 2023). "Act launch derailed by Angry Fence Man and physical assault on media". The Spinoff. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  43. ^ Pearse, Adam (17 September 2023). "Election 2023: Hecklers disrupt Act Party campaign launch during David Seymour's speech". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  44. ^ Molyneux, Vita (28 September 2023). "Wellington protest: Freedom and Rights coalition march on Parliament ends, roads to reopen". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  45. ^ Blackwell, Adam (28 September 2023). "As it happened: Protesters pour onto Parliament grounds". Stuff. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  46. ^ "2023 General Election - Official Result". Electoral Commission. 3 November 2023. Archived from the original on 5 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  47. ^ Stuff. "Election 2023: Final results". Stuff. Archived from the original on 20 October 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  48. ^ "Liz Gunn cries, Brian Tamaki rages at 'gutless Kiwis' after losses". Newshub. 15 October 2023. Archived from the original on 19 October 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
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