Full Breakdown
Nicole McKee Named Deputy Leader of ACT Party at Auckland Rally
6/28/2026, 6:16:22 AM
Leadership Change at ACT's Annual Meeting
At the ACT Party’s annual meeting and election-year rally in Auckland, firearms advocate Nicole McKee was announced as the new deputy leader, succeeding Brooke van Velden, who will retire at the 7 November general election. McKee thanked the caucus and said the party aims to keep Labour out of government. The rally also paid tribute to retiring MP Mark Cameron.
Policy Proposals Highlighted
ACT leader David Seymour used the rally to present reforms. The party would make health and disability benefits compulsory through a Ministry-approved pool of designated doctors. It would introduce an electronic card for jobseekers on benefits over four months, limiting purchases to essentials and banning cash withdrawals, alcohol, gambling and tobacco. Seymour proposed cutting the 43 departments to 19, reducing ministerial portfolios from 28 to 18, and allowing removal of chief executives, while pledging no impact on frontline services.
Key Figures and Their Roles
Nicole McKee, a long-time firearms campaigner and associate justice minister, becomes ACT’s deputy leader. David Seymour remains party leader. Outgoing deputy Brooke van Velden and retiring MP Mark Cameron will leave parliament after the election. ACT MP Laura McClure served as master of ceremonies.
Official Statements and Party Messaging
McKee said the deputy role gives ACT a mandate to keep Labour out and pursue regulatory reform. Seymour called Labour’s promises $18 billion of unfunded spending, compared New Zealand’s 78 ministerial portfolios to Norway’s 20, and described his plan as a leaner cabinet that improves efficiency. He called McKee “straight-talking, principled and practical” and said the cuts would not affect services.
Criticism, Opposition, and On-the-Ground Reactions
McKee criticised Te Pati Maori for claiming to represent all Maori, saying it does not speak for every Maori parent, business owner or crime victim. Seymour’s speech also targeted the Greens, Labour, New Zealand First and National, accusing them of division and policy failures. Palestinian protesters outside venue prompted security and chants from supporters to drown out the dissent, while attendees chanted “Lock Labour out.”
Verbatim Quotes
- “The Act Caucus has placed its trust in me, and I am deeply grateful. Together, we are focused on locking Labour out so we can unlock New Zealand’s potential,”
- “Every policy is a feel-good headline about something being ‘free,’ with no idea how they’ll pay for it.”
- “I am proud of both my Maori and my British ancestry. I do not need to choose between them, and I do not need a political party to tell me what my identity is supposed to mean. My whakapapa is mine. My views are mine. My vote is mine. My country is mine too.”
- “straight-talking, principled and practical.”
What’s Next
ACT will contest the 7 November election with McKee as deputy leader. Brooke van Velden and Mark Cameron will leave parliament after the vote. The party’s reduced-government and benefit-reform agenda will shape its campaign messaging in the run-up to the election.
