ACT New Zealand Rōpū ACT (Māori) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leader | David Seymour |
| Deputy Leader | Brooke van Velden |
| President | John Windsor |
| Founders | |
| Founded | 1994; 31 years ago (1994) |
| Split from | New Zealand Labour Party |
| Headquarters | 27 Gillies Avenue,Newmarket,Auckland |
| Student wing | Young ACT[a][1] |
| Local wing | ACT Local |
| Ideology | |
| Political position | Right-wing |
| Colours | |
| Slogan | ACT for real change[2] |
| House of Representatives | 11 / 123 |
| Website | |
| act | |
| This article is part ofa series on |
| Conservatism in New Zealand |
|---|
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History |
ACT New Zealand (/ˈækt/;Māori:Rōpū ACT),[3] also known as theACT Party or simplyACT, is aright-wing,[10]classical liberal,[13]right-libertarian,[17] andconservative[23]political party in New Zealand. It is currently led byDavid Seymour, and is in coalition with theNational andNew Zealand First parties, as part of theSixth National government.[24]
ACT is an acronym of the name of theAssociation of Consumers and Taxpayers, a pressure group that was founded in 1993 by former National Party MPDerek Quigley and formerLabour Party MPRoger Douglas, a figure of theNew Right who served asminister of finance under theFourth Labour Government. Douglas'neoliberal economic policies, dubbedRogernomics, transformedNew Zealand's economy from aprotectionist one into a free market through extensivederegulation.
After Labour lost the1990 election in awipeout and its neoliberal faction lost influence, ACT was built mostly by Douglas'former party supporters as a new political party for1996. The introduction ofproportional representation gave minor parties a greatly increased chance of getting into parliament. Former Labour MPRichard Prebble unexpectedly won the safe Labour seat ofWellington Central, and served as ACT party leader from after the election until 2004. Under Prebble's leadership the party held nine seats in Parliament. Rodney Hide served as leader from 2004 to 2011. ACT was briefly led by formerNational Party leaderDon Brash for the2011 election, after which the partycaucus was reduced to one seat.
ACT gave support to theFifth National Government from2008 to 2017. It is currently led byDavid Seymour, who became the party's leader in October 2014 and has been an elected MP of the party since September 2014. During the2017 election, ACT retained its sole seat inEpsom and received 0.5% of theparty vote.[25] ACT rebounded in the2020 election, winning 10 seats with 7.6% of the party vote.[26] In the2023 election ACT increased its share of the party vote to 8.6% and picked up an additional seat—the party's best result since its founding.[27]
According to former party leaderRodney Hide, ACT's values are "individual freedom, personal responsibility, doing the best for our natural environment and for smaller, smarter government in its goals of a prosperous economy, a strong society, and a quality of life that is the envy of the world".[28] ACT states that it adheres toclassical-liberal andsmall (orlimited) government principles coupled with what the party considers as a high regard forindividual freedom andpersonal responsibility.[29][12] ACT sets out its values:
ACT has been characterised as aconservative,[33][34][35]classical liberal andlibertarian party,[16][36][11] although its stances have changed under successive leadership and the party's supportbase has drawn a "big tent" and a "broad church" of voters.[citation needed] ACT's platform featured conservativepopulist policies under former leadersRichard Prebble (in office: 1996–2004) andRodney Hide (2004–2011).[37] Under the leadership ofDavid Seymour (in office from 2014 onwards), commentators have identified a shift in policy to a more libertarian outlook.[38][39] Seymour has stated that he does not viewpopulism as the way to govern a country or to stimulate growth, and has accused the centre-leftNew Zealand Labour Party of engaging in populism in its policies onbusiness, spending and tax.[40][41][non-primary source needed][better source needed] The ACT Party emphasises the importance ofproperty rights.[42][43]
ACT wants to reduce or remove some government programmes which it sees as unnecessary and wasteful, and to increase self-reliance by encouraging individuals to take responsibility to pay for services traditionally paid for by governments. Under leader Rodney Hide, ACT New Zealand had primarily focused on two main policy areas: taxation and crime (law-and-order issues). At the2011 general election, ACT advocated lowering tax rates and also supported something approaching aflat tax, in which tax rates would not be graduated based on wealth or income, so that every taxpayer would pay the same proportion of their income in tax. The flat tax-rate that ACT proposed was approximately 15%, with no tax on the first $25,000 for those who opt out of state-provided accident, sickness and healthcare cover.[44] As at 2021[update], the party proposed reducingGST and decreasing themarginal tax rate paid by those on the median wage, but did not advocate a flat tax rate.[45]
During the2020 general election, the ACT party campaigned on a broad policy platform. It prioritised economic recovery (see:COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand § Long-term effects), keeping national debt low, and signing up to aCANZUK agreement which would enable free movement of people and goods between the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Canada and Australia. The party wants to protect freedom of expression and to limit funding for universities that do not uphold freedom of speech on campus. It supports immigration while it calls for compulsory measures for immigrants to assimilate and for limiting citizenship or permanent-residency status to those who pledge to uphold the values of New Zealand.[46]
On its website, ACT states "that all New Zealanders should have the same fundamental rights, regardless of race, religion, sexuality or gender".[47] The party says "the rights of victims should trump the rights of criminals" and has a number of tough-on-crime policies focused primarily on trying to controlgangs. Party leader, David Seymour, wants to reintroduce the "three strikes law" (repealed in 2022 by theLabour Government) and to impose three-year prison sentences—without parole—on anyone who commits three burglaries.[48] ACT advocates repealingNew Zealand's 2019 firearms legislation, and taking a "tougher" stance on criminals who repeatedly offend and on those found guilty of violent crimes, while also supporting rehabilitation programs.[49]
In September 2022, the ACT Party proposed fittingankle bracelets on young offenders aged between 11 and 14 to combat juvenile crime, particularlyram-raiding. Party leader Seymour argued that ankle bracelets were non-intrusive and would allow police to monitor young offenders.[50][51] In response, Police MinisterChris Hipkins stated that the Labour Government was not considering the use of ankle bracelets for young offenders but would keep "all options on the table".[52] National Party leaderChristopher Luxon and education spokespersonErica Stanford initially indicated that they would not support ACT's ankle-bracelet policy, with Stanford describing it as "heartbreaking".[53] New Zealand rugby-league player SirGraham Lowe criticised the ankle-bracelet policy, whileWaikato retailer Ash Parmer supported it.[51] In November 2022, National reversed its initial opposition to fitting young offenders with ankle bracelets; with justice spokespersonPaul Goldsmith stating that a law change was necessary to impose electronic monitoring or intensive supervision on child offenders aged under 12 years.[54]
In May 2023, Seymour announced that ACT, if elected into government, would build youth-detention centres run by theDepartment of Corrections. ACT's proposed policies include shifting management of youth offenders fromOranga Tamariki (the Ministry for Children) to the Corrections Department, investing NZ$677 million into combating youth crime over the following four years – including NZ$500 million on the construction of 200 new "youth justice beds", and $44 million per year to operate these facilities.[55][56]
Members of ACT'scaucus in parliament voted five to four in favour of theCivil Union Act 2004 which gave the option of legal recognition to (among others) same-sex couples. A majority within the caucus also supported the legalisation of brothels by theProstitution Reform Act 2003.[57] In 2005, both of ACT's MPs,Rodney Hide andHeather Roy, voted for theMarriage (Gender Clarification) Amendment Bill 2005, which would have banned the possibility of introducingsame-sex marriage in New Zealand in the future perspective.[58]
In 2013, leaderJohn Banks (the party's sole MP from 2011 to 2014) voted in favour of theMarriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill at its third reading, a law which legalisedsame-sex marriage in New Zealand.[59]
ACT leader David Seymour supported the legalisation ofassisted dying. In 2018, he introduced amember's bill, theEnd of Life Choice Bill, which aimed to legaliseeuthanasia in New Zealand.[60] The law passed in 2019, was approved by the public ina 2020 referendum,[61] and took full effect in 2021. Grant Duncan cited the euthanasia law as an example of ACT neoliberalism.[62] In 2020, Seymour voted for theAbortion Legislation Act which introduced abortion on request.[63] However, he criticised a particular aspect of this law which created "free protest zones" which would ban protests near abortion clinics, saying this limits freedom of expression.[64] In 2021, ACT expressed support for liberalisation ofsurrogacy law so as to facilitate availability of surrogate services to heterosexual andsame-sex couples as well.[65] (Currently, New Zealand law permitsaltruistic surrogacy only.)
ACT proposes abolition of theMāori electorate seats in the New Zealand Parliament, arguing the seats are "an anachronism and offensive to the principle of equal citizenship" and that Māori MPs have been elected in general elections on other lists without special assistance. The party also wants to reduce the number of MPs in parliament from 120 to 100.[66]
In March 2022, ACT campaigned on holding a referendum onMāorico-governance arrangements as a condition for entering into coalition with the National Party. Seymour has argued that the 1840Treaty of Waitangi was not a partnership between theNew Zealand Crown and Māori, and that co-governance arrangements created resentment and division. In addition, ACT announced that it would introduce a new law defining theprinciples of the Treaty of Waitangi if elected into government following the2023 election. This law would only come into effect following a referendum held at the 2026 general election.[67] ACT's proposed referendum and law would affect co-governance arrangements at severalCrown Research Institutes,state-owned enterprises and healthcare providers such asTe Aka Whai Ora (the Māori Health Authority). However, Seymour indicated that the new law would preserve existing co-governance arrangements with theWaikato,Ngāi Tahu,Tūhoe andWhanganuiiwi (tribes).[68]
Māori Party co-leaderDebbie Ngarewa-Packer and ProfessorLinda Tuhiwai Smith described ACT's proposed co-governance referendum and policies as being motivated by racism and reflecting aPākehā unwillingness to share power. Similarly, Waikato leader Rahui Papa claimed that ACT's co-governance policies clashed with the second and third articles of the treaty which (he argued) guaranteed Māori participation in the social sector.[68][67] In response, Prime MinisterJacinda Ardern reiteratedher government's commitment to co-governance arrangements. Meanwhile, National Party leaderChristopher Luxon refused to commit to a referendum on co-governance, but acknowledged that further clarity on co-governance was needed.[67]
In October 2022, ACT released a discussion document entitled "Democracy or co-government?" which proposed a new Treaty Principles Act that would end the focus on partnership between Māori and the Crown and interpret "tino rangatiratanga" solely as property rights. By contrast, most scholars of theMāori language define "tino rangatiratanga" as the equivalent of "self-determination" in the English language. The proposed Treaty Principles Act does not mention Māori, the Crown,iwi (tribes), andhapū (subgroups) but refers only to "New Zealanders". ACT Party leader Seymour refused to identify whom his party had consulted when developing its co-governance and Treaty of Waitangi policies, particularly its redefinition of "tino rangatiratanga" as property rights. As part of ACT's non-racial (colour-blind) policies, its social-development spokespersonKaren Chhour advocated the abolition of Te Aka Whai Ora.[69]
Following the 2023 election and the formation of aNational-led coalition government, ACT embarked on a public information campaign in early February 2024 to promote itsTreaty Principles Bill. This campaign includes the creation of a new website called "treaty.nz," which has a Questions and Answers section outlining the party's approach to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and a video featuring Seymour. Seymour also contested claims that the opposition was trying to rewrite or abolish the Treaty of Waitangi. The public information campaign also came after a leakedJustice Ministry memo claimed that the proposed bill clashed with the text of the Treaty.[70]
ACT went into the 2008 general election with a policy that in part stated "New Zealand is not warming" and that their policy goal was to ensure "That no New Zealand government will ever impose needless and unjustified taxation or regulation on its citizens in a misguided attempt to reduceglobal warming or become a world leader incarbon neutrality".[71] In September 2008, ACT Party LeaderRodney Hide stated "that the entireclimate change – global warming hypothesis is a hoax, that the data and the hypothesis do not hold together, thatAl Gore is a phoney and a fraud on this issue, and that theemissions trading scheme is a worldwide scam and swindle."[72] The former party leader has been branded as an "outspoken Kiwiclimate change sceptic".[73] In February 2016, ACT deleted this climate-change policy from their website, and party leader David Seymour criticised theGreen Party for doing "bugger all for the environment".[74]
ACT placedChris Baillie fourth on itsparty list of candidates in the 2020 election; he has received criticism over his views on climate change,[75] and been labelled a climate-change sceptic.[76] In the runup to the 2020 election, Environmental Defence Society chief executive Gary Taylor said that even ACT had moved its position from where it had been. He was largely critical of the party, saying: "ACT have been very outspoken about wanting to go hard to repeal a lot of climate change legislation, and I haven't seen much fromNew Zealand First, mainly just silence." He also stated: "I think the only upside from ACT really on climate change is they do seem to have moved from outright deniers – which is where the party was five years ago. [With] a strong ACT presence you could expect some of their radical and unhelpful policies to potentially be implemented, and that is frankly a scary proposition."[77]
In early December 2020, the New Zealand Parliament officiallydeclared a climate emergency, of which ACT was critical, stating, "Today's climate emergency was a triumph for post-rational politics with feelings rather than facts driving the Government's response to climate change".[78] The party supports repealing the 2019 "Zero Carbon Act".[79]
In 2019, ACT expressed sympathy with the Hong Kong pro-democracy protestors during the2019–20 Hong Kong protests with party leader David Seymour speaking at a Hong Kong pro-democracy rally at theUniversity of Auckland. The party argued that the New Zealand government should condemn efforts by the Chinese government to restrict freedom of speech in Hong Kong and criticised theChinese Consulate-General for praising a Chinese student who had assaulted a pro-democracy activist in Auckland.[80][81]
In response to theGaza war, Seymour as ACT leader issued a statement in support of Israel and condemned Hamas terrorism. ACT also accused Labour Foreign MinisterNanaia Mahuta of not explicitly opposing Hamas' actions.[82][83]
The name comes from the initials of the Association of Consumers and Taxpayers, founded in 1993 bySir Roger Douglas andDerek Quigley. Douglas and Quigley intended the Association to serve as a pressure-group promotingRogernomics—the name given to the radical free-market policies implemented by Douglas asMinister of Finance between 1984 and 1988.[84] The Association grew out of the 'Backbone club', aginger group in theLabour Party that supported Douglas and his policies.[85] In 1996, New Zealand switched to using theMMP electoral system. The new electoral system gave smaller groups a much better chance of entering Parliament, and encouraged the Association to transform into a political party and contest elections.[86] The nascent party's manifesto was based upon a book written by Douglas entitledUnfinished Business. Douglas served as ACT's first leader, but soon stood aside forRichard Prebble (his old ally from their days in theLabour Party).[87]
_1993.jpg)
Under Douglas, ACT had languished at 1% in opinion polls, but with Prebble'spopulist rhetoric the party increased in support.[88] In the1996 election, ACT fielded 56list candidates.[89] Prebble won the Wellington Central electorate,[89] and with 6.10% of the total party vote, ACT also sent sevenlist MPs to the45th New Zealand Parliament.[90]
In the1999 election, ACT obtained 7.04% of the party vote, making it eligible for nine list MPs.[91]
In the2002 election, ACT obtained 7.14% of the party vote, making it eligible for nine list MPs.[92]
On 2 December 2004, both Douglas and Quigley announced that they would step down as patrons of ACT. They stated as the reason that they wished to have more freedom to disagree with the party publicly.[93]
Prebble's sudden departure from the leadership of ACT in 2004 signalled a decline in the party's electoral fortunes.[88]Rodney Hide led ACT into the2005 election. It obtained 1.51% of the party vote, but due to Hide winning the seat ofEpsom, it did not need to obtain the necessary 5% threshold of the party vote. This was only enough to allow one list MPHeather Roy, to join Hide in parliament.[94]
In the2008 New Zealand general election, ACT fielded 61list candidates, starting withRodney Hide,Heather Roy, SirRoger Douglas,John Boscawen,David Garrett andHilary Calvert. The election marked an improvement in ACT's fortunes. Hide retained his Epsom seat and ACT's share of the party vote increased to 3.65% (up from the 1.5% gained in the 2005 election). The combination allowed the party five MPs in total.[95]
In addition, theNational Party won the most seats overall, forming aminority government, theFifth National Government of New Zealand, with the support of ACT as well as theMāori Party andUnited Future. John Key offered both Hide and Roy posts as Ministers outsideCabinet: Hide became Minister of Local Government, Minister for Regulatory Reform and Associate Minister of Commerce, while Roy became Minister of Consumer Affairs, AssociateMinister of Defence and AssociateMinister of Education.[96]
After 2008, some caucus MPs and organisational members became dissatisfied with ACT's coalition partner status and argued at ACT's national conference (27 February 2010) that there were insufficient fiscal responsibility policy gains for their party and that the National Party had slid from its earlier commitment to the politics of fiscal responsibility over the course of the previous decade. Throughout 2009, there had been at least one reported ACT caucus coup attempt against Hide's leadership, believed to have been led by Deputy Leader Heather Roy and Roger Douglas. However, it faltered when Prime Minister Key supported Hide's retention and threatened a snap election. In addition, the party's polling of a lowly one to two percent in most opinion polls meant only Heather Roy might accompany Hide after any forthcoming general election, if Hide retained ACT's Epsom pivotal electorate seat.[97]
On 28 April 2011, Hide announced that he was resigning the ACT leadership in favour of former National Party leader andReserve Bank GovernorDon Brash who joined the party that morning. Brash's leadership was unanimously approved by the party board and parliamentary caucus on 30 April.[98] Brash promised to focus the party on controllinggovernment debt, equality between Māori and non-Māori, and rethinking theEmissions Trading Scheme, with a target of getting 15 percent of the party vote in the next election.[99]
In November 2011, a recording of a conversation held betweenJohn Key and the former National Party member and formerMayor of Auckland CityJohn Banks, who had been selected as the new ACT candidate in Epsom, was leaked toHerald on Sunday.[100][101]3 News also obtained copies of the recording suggesting the two politicians were discussing issues related to ACT New Zealand's leadership.[100] Media dubbed the affairteapot tape.[100]
In the2011 New Zealand general election, ACT fielded 55list candidates, starting with new leaderDon Brash,Catherine Isaac, Don Nicolson,John Banks, David Seymour and Chris Simmons.[102] The election was a disappointment for ACT, with the party's worst election result since it began in 1996. John Banks retained the Epsom seat for ACT, however the 34.2% majority held by Rodney Hide was severely cut back to 6.3% as large numbers of Labour and Green voters in Epsom tactically split their vote and gave their electorate vote to the National candidate Paul Goldsmith. Nationwide, ACT received only 1.07% of the party vote, placing eighth out of 13 on party vote percentage.[103] As a result, ACT were only entitled to one seat in the new Parliament, filled by John Banks. Subsequently, Don Brash announced that he had stepped down as leader during his speech on election night.[104][105] Following the 2011 general election John Banks stated that he believed that the ACT brand "...just about had its use-by date..." and needed to be renamed and relaunched.[106]
Their previous partners, the National Party, again won the most seats overall, and formed aminority government. TheFifth National Government of New Zealand had ACT support as well as that ofUnited Future and theMāori Party, providing the coalition withconfidence and supply.
At the ACT Board meeting of 2 February 2014,Jamie Whyte became the party's leader-elect, and David Seymour was made the ACT candidate forEpsom.Kenneth Wang was appointed deputy leader on 15 April 2014. In theSeptember 2014 general election, Seymour won his seat, and ACT moved fromseventh to sixth place, despite a decline in their share of the popular vote. Seymour took over as party leader on 3 October 2014.[107][108]
Wang resigned as deputy leader on 9 July 2017, the same day ACT released its party list; Beth Houlbrooke was announced as his replacement.[109]
The party list had 39 candidates, none of whom were elected.[110] Party leader David Seymour was re-elected in theEpsom electorate, giving the party its only seat.[25]
In the run-up to the2020 general election, ACT rose in opinion polls, from under 1% to close to 8%. This rise was attributed to Seymour's personal popularity.[111] Following the election, held on 17 October (postponed from September), ACT increased their share of the party vote to 7.6%, winning 10 seats including Seymour's Epsom seat and nine from the party list.[112][113] This was the party's best-ever result.[114] Some political analysists attributed ACT's strong result as partly benefiting from the collapse in support for the National Party andNew Zealand First.[39]
In late April 2021, the ACT party sponsored motion asking the New Zealand Parliament to debate and vote on the issue of human rights abuses against theUyghur ethnic minority community inChina'sXinjiang province.[115] In early May, the incumbent Labour Party revised the motion to raise concerns about human rights abuses in Xinjiang but omitting the term genocide, which was subsequently adopted by the New Zealand Parliament on 5 May.[116][117] In response, the Chinese Embassy claimed that the motion made "groundless accusations" of human rights abuses against China and constituted an interference in China's internal affairs.[118][119]
On 19 May 2021, the ACT Party opposedGreen Party MPGolriz Ghahraman's motion calling for members of parliament to recognise the rights of Palestinians to self-determination and statehood while reaffirming its support for a two-state solution to theIsrael-Palestine conflict. Deputy Leader Van Velden justified ACT's opposition to the Green motion on the basis of Green MPRicardo Menéndez March's tweet that said "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!."[120][121]
Final results of the2023 general election indicated that ACT won 8.64% of the party vote, resulting in 11 seats.[122][27] Seymour retained hisEpsom seat and Deputy LeaderBrooke van Velden won theTāmaki electorate.[123] In November 2023, ACT entered into a coalition deal with the National party to form part of theSixth National Government of New Zealand.[124]
As part of National's coalition agreement with ACT, the Government would adopt ACT's policies of restoring interest deductibility for rental properties and pet bonds. In addition to adopting National's youth crime and gang policies, the new Government would adopt ACT's policies of rewriting firearms legislation. The new Government would also scrap the previous Labour Government's fair pay agreements, proposed hate speech legislation, co-governance policies, Auckland light rail,Three Waters reform programme, andMāori Health Authority. The Government would also establish a newMinistry for Regulation headed by Seymour that would review the quality of new and existing legislation.[125][126][127][128] While National did not support Act's proposed referendum on theprinciples of the Treaty of Waitangi, the Government would introduce a Treaty Principles Act and amend existingTreaty of Waitangi legislation to focus on the "original intent of the legislation."[127][129]
Within the National-led coalition government, Seymour became the firstMinister for Regulation and was designated asDeputy Prime Minister from 31 May 2025. Van Velden becameMinister of Internal Affairs and Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety.Nicole McKee became Minister for Courts and Associate Minister of Justice (firearms).Andrew Hoggard was appointed as Minister for Biosecurity and Food Safety while Karen Chhour was appointed asMinister for Children and Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence.Simon Court was appointed as Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Minister for Infrastructure andRMA Reform.[130]
On 7 February 2024, the ACT Party launched a campaign to support its Treaty Principles Bill, aiming to "restore the meaning of the Treaty of Waitangi to what was actually written and signed in 1840." ACT also reiterated its call for a referendum on the Treaty's application if the bill progresses past the initial stages. Opposition to the bill included criticism fromTe Pāti Māori co-leaderDebbie Ngarewa-Packer, who accused Seymour of deliberately trying to divide New Zealand, and outgoingLabour MPKelvin Davis, who stated that his party will continue to oppose the "Pākehā Government spiders".[131]
On 7 June 2024,Stuff journalistTova O'Brien reported that allegations of intimidation, unfair treatment of women and a "trainwreck campaign" within the ACT party had led six staff members and volunteers to resign following the 2023 general election. In addition, the party's board was facing a vote of no confidence. Complainants likened elements of the 2023 election campaign to theHunger Games and alleged that candidates and volunteers were bullied. In response to the allegations, the ACT party confirmed that it had conducted an independent review into its campaign. The party's president Catherine Isaac stated that the party had accepted the review's recommendations and acknowledged that political campaigns could be stressful on people, who also had to balance their lives and careers.[132] During ACT's annual rally on 9 June, Seymour downplayed allegations of a "culture of fear" within the ACT party and reiterated the party's support for the review's recommendations. In his speech, Seymour said that the party's support had grown by 1,000 percent in the past five years and set out a 15% voter target for the 2026 general election.[133]
In early July 2024, ACT invoked the "agree to disagree" provision of its coalition agreement after the National-led government decided to progress theFair Digital News Bargaining Bill, which had been introduced by the previous Labour Government.[134] In late February 2025, the Government agreed to support the ACT party's proposed legislation to extend the parliamentary term from three to four years.[135] In mid March 2025, Seymour confirmed that ACT would be fielding candidates during the2025 New Zealand local elections, marking the first time the party would contest local body elections.[136]
On 6 May 2025 ACT declined to support the National Party's proposed legislation forcing social media platforms to restrict access to users under the age of 16 years. Consequently, National was unable to introduce the legislation as a government bill and had to introduce it as a member's bill.[137] On 11 May, ACT invoked the "agree to disagree" clause of its coalition agreement after the National Party declined to support McKee's call for a review of the New Zealand government's firearms registry, and that a more "thorough and independent" review be conducted for the 2025-2026 financial year.[138]
On 31 May 2025,David Seymour succeededWinston Peters as deputy prime minister, under the terms of the coalition agreement in 2023.[139] He became the first ACT deputy prime minister.
In June 2025, the party announced their first candidates for the2025 local elections. Logistics manager James Ebbett would run for theCentral Hawke's Bay District Council,[140] retired pharmacist David Ross for theTasman District Council,[141] and local businessman Nathan Atkins for theWaimakariri District Council.[142]
| Election | Leader | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Richard Prebble | 126,442 | 6.10% | 8 / 120 |  8 | 5th | Opposition(1996–1998) |
| Confidence and supply(1998–1999) | |||||||
| 1999 | 145,493 | 7.04% | 9 / 120 | 1 |  4th | Opposition | |
| 2002 | 145,078 | 7.14% | 9 / 120 |  | 4th | Opposition | |
| 2005 | Rodney Hide | 34,469 | 1.50% | 2 / 121 | 7 | 7th | Opposition |
| 2008 | 85,496 | 3.65% | 5 / 122 | 3 | 4th | Confidence and supply | |
| 2011 | Don Brash | 23,889 | 1.07% | 1 / 121 | 4 | 7th | Confidence and supply |
| 2014 | Jamie Whyte | 16,689 | 0.69% | 1 / 121 | | 6th | Confidence and supply |
| 2017 | David Seymour | 13,075 | 0.50% | 1 / 120 | | 5th | Opposition |
| 2020 | 219,030 | 7.58% | 10 / 120 | 9 | 4th | Opposition | |
| 2023 | 246,409 | 8.64% | 11 / 123 | 1 | 4th | Coalition | |
| Source:Electoral Commission | |||||||
The ACT party board appoints a leader and deputy leader recommended by the partycaucus; when the party leader is not a member of parliament, a separate parliamentary leader is chosen by the caucus. The organisation outside parliament is led by a party president and party vice-president.[143]
| Image | Name | Term |
|---|---|---|
.png) | Roger Douglas | (1994–1996) |
.jpg) | Richard Prebble | (1996–2004) |
.JPG) | Rodney Hide | (2004–2011) |
 | Don Brash | (2011) |
.jpg) | John Banks | (2012–2014) |
.jpg) | Jamie Whyte | (2014) |
 | David Seymour | (2014–present) |
The ACT Party (Rōpū ACT) is a right-wing libertarian party that advocates free market policies and reducing the role of government.
The ACT Party (Rōpū ACT) is a right-wing libertarian party that advocates free market policies and reducing the role of government.
'ACT is the only party in Parliament who truly supports property rights [...],' says ACT Leader David Seymour.
ACT believes protecting the safety and property of its citizens is the government's first and most important job.
On Thursday, Police Minister Chris Hipkins indicated in Parliament putting ankle bracelets on ram raiders wasn't off the table. [...] 'In terms of the ankle bracelet policy, the issue of removing some of the repeat offenders from circulation and keeping them out of circulation is something the Government is very focused on,' said Hipkins, under questioning from ACT Police spokesperson Chris Baillie. 'I'm not convinced that extra use of ankle bracelets would necessarily achieve that but we're keeping all options on the table.'
The party stands for less government, more private enterprise and freedom of choice. It is therefore a child of neoliberalism — indeed, its only legitimate child. [...] For example, Seymour's referendum bill to allow assisted dying (euthanasia) was officially named the End of Life Choice Bill, asserting its ideological origins with the word 'choice'.
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