Jordan Williams (New Zealand lawyer)

Last updated

Jordan Henry Williams (born 1986) is New Zealand lawyer best known for his political activities, which are often connected to the National or ACT parties, and his lobbying for liberal and conservative causes. [1] He is a founder and current Executive Director of the New Zealand Taxpayers' Union, [2] President of the World Taxpayers' Association, [3] a New Zealand Free Speech Union co-founder and Council Member, [4] and the Chief Executive Officer and sole director of the Campaign Company. [5] [6]

Contents

In the second half of the 2010s a lengthy defamation dispute between Williams and former Conservative Party leader Colin Craig reached the Supreme Court. Williams was initially awarded a New Zealand record amount of $1.27M (overturned on appeal), but ended up issuing an apology and making an undisclosed payment to Craig in a negotiated settlement.

Early life and education

Williams grew up in Hawkes Bay, attended Lindisfarne College, and was a member of the Hastings Youth Council. When he was 15 years-old, Williams joined the New Zealand Green Party, motivated by a fear of genetic engineering. [7]

While studying law and accounting at Victoria University of Wellington he interned for family friend Don Brash (National Party leader 2003–2006), and in 2008 he was involved in former ACT MP Stephen Franks' election campaign as a National Party candidate. This led to him working at Franks' law firm, Franks & Ogilvie, for four years. [8]

Dirty Politics and Vote For Change

At 25 years old, Williams was a leading spokesman for Vote For Change, the main group that unsuccessfully campaigned against MMP in the 2011 New Zealand voting system referendum. [9] Williams attended a New Zealand First party rally where Winston Peters dismissed Vote For Change as "a National Party jack-up". [10]

Also in 2011 Williams assisted Don Brash's takeover of the ACT party leadership. At the time he described his work as a short-term legal assignment. [11] In 2014, Nicky Hager's book Dirty Politics alleged that Williams had been involved in blackmailing Rodney Hide to stand down in favour of Brash. As told in the book, Williams' role was to obtain "dodgy texts" that Hide had allegedly sent to a young woman. Both Williams and Hide denied the story. [12]

Dirty Politics was based mostly on emails hacked from "attack-blogger" Cameron Slater, who ran the blog WhaleOil. Its main theme was secret collaboration between National Party figures including Judith Collins and Slater. Williams was included in three separate exchanges covered in the book, and Hager later characterised him as an "enthusiastic helper, ready to help dig dirt on the latest target". [13] [14]

After the book came out Williams said that he and Slater still spoke "every day", but that he had fallen out with another of the key players, political strategist Simon Lusk. [12]

Taxpayers' Union

In 2013, Williams and David Farrar founded the New Zealand Taxpayers' Union as an incorporated society. [15]

To draw attention to public spending that the Taxpayers' Union considered wasteful, a series of publicity stunts featured Williams, dressed in a black suit and bowtie, and a second person wearing a full-body costume in the style of Porky Pig. Williams and "Porky" would visit government entities and film themselves attempting to present awards such as a "Waste Watch" certificate to MBIE and a "certificate of achievement and imagination" to a bemused middle manager at the Rotorua Lakes District Council. [15] [16]

As a Taxpayer Union spokesman Williams has opposed raising the minimum wage, [17] workplace safety training, [18] broadcast funding for The Civilian Party, [19] tobacco tax increases (a position that the Taxpayers' Union took without declaring its tobacco industry relationships), [20] [21] the Low Emission Vehicles Contestable Fund, [22] Māori wards in local government, [23] and the Three Waters reforms. [24]

Williams is Chairman and President of the World Taxpayers' Association, which describes itself as an organisation that connects organisations like New Zealand's Taxpayers' Union from over 60 countries. He was first elected to its Board in 2019. [3]

NZME publications including the New Zealand Herald have carried occasional opinion columns by Williams since 2017. Writing mostly about politics, tax and spending, his articles variously declared his interest as Chief Executive of the Taxpayers' Union, or only as "a Wellington-based lawyer, lobbyist and commentator". [25] [26] [27]

Auckland Ratepayers' Alliance

Williams founded the Auckland Ratepayers' Alliance as a company in 2015, using the Taxpayers' Union in Wellington as its registered office address. [15] [28]

Williams moderated a Ratepayers' Alliance candidate debate during the 2019 Auckland mayoral election. [29] For the 2022 civic elections Williams simultaneously ran the Ratepayers' Alliance, which commented (often negatively) about various candidates' policies, and worked on multiple mayoral election campaigns. He denied that this situation created any conflicts of interest. [30]

Williams owned the Ratepayers' Alliance company until it was wound up in 2021, with its activities being absorbed into the Taxpayers' Union. [31]

Free Speech Union

In 2018 Williams was a co-founder of the Free Speech Coalition, which later renamed itself the Free Speech Union (FSU).The group's initial motivation was to overturn Mayor of Auckland Phil Goff's cancellation of an event featuring alt-right speakers Lauren Southern and Stefan Molyneux at an council-owned venue. Their challenges were unsuccessful in both the High Court and the Court of Appeal. [32] [33] [34] Williams remains a board Member of the Free Speech Union. [35]

In March 2021 the FSU registered as a union under the Employment Relations Act. [36] In the 2021–22 year covered by its first annual report as a union, the FSU made three submissions to Parliament – against "safe zone" legislation that prohibits protest near abortion service providers, [37] against aspects of the bill prohibiting conversion therapy, [38] and against a bill strengthening plain language practices within the Government. [39]

The Campaign Company

Williams is the founder, owner, and chief executive of the Campaign Company, a digital agency. [6] [5] The Campaign Company's clients include Groundswell NZ [5] and Don Brash's lobby group, Hobson's Pledge. [40] [41] It has faced multiple accusations of astroturfing.

During the 2022 Auckland mayoral election the Campaign Company worked for two candidates – Leo Molloy and Viv Beck. [42] The company's working relationship with Molloy ended after the Auckland Ratepayers' Alliance (also run by Williams) criticised him in a full page newspaper ad. [43]

The Campaign Company runs a number of campaign websites on behalf of Hobson's Pledge, including We Belong Aotearoa, which disguises its association with the group. It uses Māori proverbs like "whiria te tāngata" ("weave the people together"), stock images of people from a range of cultural backgrounds, and even a Dame Whina Cooper photo and quote, to oppose co-governance ("a legal concept of shared management" which includes Māori representation) without mentioning the term. Because Hobson's Pledge lobbies against the use of te reo Māori and the name "Aotearoa" in particular, the "We Belong Aotearoa" site was called offensive, insulting, and deceitful by cultural advisor Karaitiana Taiuru. Dylan Reeve, author of Fake Believe: Conspiracy Theories in Aotearoa, called the campaign an example of astroturfing – a fake grassroots group. [40]

Another Campaign Company website, Save Our Stores, was designed to look like a grassroots campaign organised by small retailers against the Smokefree 2025 Act. [44] It was found to be funded by British American Tobacco and Imperial Brands, and its message was disavowed by the 6000-member Dairy and Business Owners Group. [40] Another of William's vehicles, the Taxpayers' Union, has also taken pro-tobacco positions while accepting funding from the tobacco industry. [20] [45]

Colin Craig defamation case

Shortly after the 2014 New Zealand general election Rachel MacGregor, who had resigned as Conservative Party leader Colin Craig's press secretary late in the campaign, confided in Williams that Craig had sexually harassed her. MacGregor and Craig reached a confidential settlement in 2015. [46]

Williams promised MacGregor and her lawyer to keep this information, and documents that she shared with him, private. He then used the information to persuade the party's board to end Craig's leadership, and in articles he wrote under a pseudonym ("Concerned Conservative") on right-wing blog WhaleOil. A judge later described these actions as a "campaign" against Craig. Williams said that he acted in MacGregor's defence after Craig breached the confidentiality he'd promised her. [47]

Craig responded with a pamphlet that was delivered to 1.6 million homes and claimed that he had been defamed. He said that Williams was lying, and that he would sue Williams and others. Williams consequently sued Craig for defaming him in the pamphlet. Among a number of witnesses called by Craig, Martyn "Bomber" Bradbury gave evidence of Williams' character, describing him as "manipulative", a "political sadist" and like "a venomous spider". [48] In this initial case Williams was awarded a record $1.27 million, which was later found to be excessive. A series of appeals from both sides followed and the case reached the Supreme Court. [49]

In December 2019, after more than four years of legal action, Williams and Craig settled. Williams issued an apology and agreed to make an undisclosed payment to Craig. Part of Williams' apology said, "I am now aware that a number of statements I made to others about Mr Craig were not true. I deeply regret what has happened and my involvement in spreading those allegations. I apologise to Mr Craig and his family unreservedly." [50]

The public reaction to the case included sympathy for MacGregor, who gave evidence in multiple cases that she had neither brought nor was defending, and condemnation of both Williams and Craig. [51] [52] Details of Craig's behaviour towards MacGregor had not been public until they were presented as evidence by Williams, and she told the High Court that she felt "on trial by proxy" and "didn't want to be part of...this, their defamation thing, two men angry about something." [46] [53] Williams summed up reporting of the long-running case as "who do you despise more, the neoliberal prick [Williams] or the conservative monster [Craig]?" [46]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don Brash</span> Former New Zealand politician

Donald Thomas Brash is a former New Zealand politician who was Leader of the Opposition and leader of the New Zealand National Party from October 2003 to November 2006, and leader of the ACT New Zealand party for seven months from April to November 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phil Goff</span> New Zealand politician

Philip Bruce Goff is a New Zealand politician and diplomat. He currently serves as High Commissioner of New Zealand to the United Kingdom since 2023. He was a member of the New Zealand Parliament from 1981 to 1990 and again from 1993 to 2016. He served as leader of the Labour Party and leader of the Opposition between 11 November 2008 and 13 December 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trevor Mallard</span> New Zealand politician

Sir Trevor Colin Mallard is a New Zealand politician. He currently serves as Ambassador of New Zealand to Ireland since 2023. He was a Member of Parliament from 1984 to 1990 and again from 1993 to 2022. He served as Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives from 2017 until 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rodney Hide</span> New Zealand politician

Rodney Philip Hide is a former New Zealand politician of the ACT New Zealand party. Hide was a Member of Parliament for ACT from 1996 until 2011, was ACT's leader between 2004 and 2011, and represented the Epsom constituency from 2005 to 2011. In the Fifth National Government, Hide was Minister of Local Government, Associate Minister of Commerce and Minister of Regulatory Reform until 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicky Hager</span> Author and investigative journalist

Nicolas Alfred Hager is a New Zealand investigative journalist. He has produced seven books since 1996, covering topics such as intelligence networks, environmental issues and politics. He is one of two New Zealand members of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.

Martyn 'Bomber' Bradbury is a New Zealand media commentator, former radio and TV host, and former executive producer of Alt TV – a now-defunct alternative music and culture channel. He is a blogger that writes at the blogs Tumeke! and The Daily Blog. Bradbury was given the nickname 'Bomber' by a former Craccum editor, reputedly to describe his bombastic personality. He has been described by the New Zealand Listener as the "most opinionated man in New Zealand". He has defended his decision to block a number of women on social media and referred to reasons for disputes with five women who previously contributed to "The Daily Blog".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Auckland Council</span> Governing body of New Zealands Auckland Region

Auckland Council is the local government council for the Auckland Region in New Zealand. It is a territorial authority that has the responsibilities, duties and powers of a regional council and so is a unitary authority, according to the Local Government Act 2009, which established the council. The governing body consists of a mayor and 20 councillors, elected from 13 wards. There are also 149 members of 21 local boards who make decisions on matters local to their communities. It is the largest council in Oceania, with a $3 billion annual budget, $29 billion of ratepayer equity, and 9,870 full-time staff as of 30 June 2016. The council began operating on 1 November 2010, combining the functions of the previous regional council and the region's seven city and district councils into one "super council" or "super city".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 New Zealand general election</span> General election in New Zealand

The 2014 New Zealand general election took place on Saturday 20 September 2014 to determine the membership of the 51st New Zealand Parliament.

Cameron Slater is a right-wing New Zealand-based blogger, best known for his role in Dirty Politics and publishing the Whale Oil Beef Hooked blog, which operated from 2005 until it closed in 2019. He edited the tabloid newspaper New Zealand Truth from November 2012 until it ceased publication in July 2013. Slater's father, John Slater, served as President of the New Zealand National Party from 1998 to 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Conservatives Party</span> Conservative political party in New Zealand

New Conservatives is a conservative political party in New Zealand. Some opponents and observers have described the party's policies as far-right, though the party now states it has moved to a "more centrist" position under new leadership. It advocates for lower taxation, anti-abortion measures and austerity cuts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colin Craig</span> New Zealand politician

Colin Craig is a New Zealand businessman and perennial candidate who was the founding leader of the Conservative Party of New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Goldsmith (politician)</span> New Zealand politician

Paul Jonathan Goldsmith is a New Zealand historian and politician. The biographer of several leading right-wing political and business figures, he was first elected a list member of the New Zealand House of Representatives for the National Party at the 2011 election.

Christine Kathryn Rankin is a New Zealand politician and former civil servant who served as head of the Ministry of Social Development.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Zealand Taxpayers' Union</span>

The New Zealand Taxpayers' Union is a taxpayer pressure group founded in 2013 to scrutinise government spending, publicise government waste, and promote an efficient tax system. The Union was founded among conservative figures, and is often regarded as a right-wing pressure group.

Waimate District Council is the territorial authority for the Waimate District of New Zealand.

Hobson's Pledge is a right-wing lobby group in New Zealand that was formed in late September 2016 to oppose affirmative action for Māori people. It is led by conservative politician Don Brash. The group aims to nullify the partnership between the Crown and Māori, remove the Māori electorates, abolish the Waitangi Tribunal, restrict tribal powers and "remove all references in law and in Government policy to Treaty 'partnership' and 'principles'".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arena Williams</span> New Zealand politician

Arena Hinekura Sherburd Williams is a New Zealand Labour Party politician. She has been a Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives for the Manurewa electorate since 2020.

Several polling firms conducted opinion polls during the term of the 53rd New Zealand Parliament (2020–2023) for the 2023 New Zealand general election. The regular polls are the quarterly polls produced by Television New Zealand conducted by Verian and Discovery New Zealand (Newshub) conducted by Reid Research, along with monthly polls by Roy Morgan, and by Curia. The sample size, margin of error and confidence interval of each poll varies by organisation and date.

The New Zealand Free Speech Union (FSU) is an organisation that advocates for freedom of speech. It was formed as the Free Speech Coalition in 2018 and relaunched as the Free Speech Union in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Casey Costello</span> New Zealand politician

Cassandra Jane "Casey" Costello is a New Zealand politician, lobbyist and former police officer. She was elected to the New Zealand House of Representatives, representing the New Zealand First party, in the 2023 New Zealand general election. She was appointed Minister of Customs, Minister for Seniors and Associate Minister of Health in the Sixth National Government of New Zealand.

References

  1. "Registry Lookup: Jordan Henry Williams". New Zealand Law Society. 24 June 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  2. "Our team". New Zealand Taxpayers' Union. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  3. 1 2 "Jordan Williams – Chairman & President". World Taxpayers' Association. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  4. "About". Free Speech Union. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 "Sponsored Story: How to build a 'force for good'". New Zealand Herald. 5 July 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  6. 1 2 "The Campaign Company Limited (8257633) Registered". Companies Register (New Zealand Companies Office). Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  7. Gullery, Lawrence (5 March 2012). "Ex youth leader says get elected". New Zealand Herald/Hawkes Bay Today. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  8. Macdonald, Nikki (3 February 2016). "National portrait: Taxpayers' Union founder Jordan Williams" . Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  9. Vote For Change (27 June 2011). "Press Release: Vote for Change Campaign Launched". Scoop. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  10. Levy, Danya (23 November 2011). "Peters wants old-fashioned politics back". Stuff. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  11. Cheng, Derek (6 May 2011). "Brash's Act coup angers some National members". New Zealand Herald.
  12. 1 2 Fox, Michael; Rutherford, Hamish (14 August 2014). "Hide scoffs at blackmail claim". Stuff. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  13. Hager, Nicky (16 August 2017). "Sunlight did what sunlight does: Nicky Hager on Dirty Politics, three years on". The Spinoff. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  14. Fisher, David (14 August 2014). "Dirty Politics: Who are the key players?". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  15. 1 2 3 Fisher, David (13 November 2015). "The Big Read: So what's this Taxpayers' Union, which purports to represent us all?". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  16. Martin, Matthew (31 July 2017). "Rotorua council given dubious award for muddy spending". Rotorua Daily Post/New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  17. Mackenzie, Dene (25 January 2017). "Minimum wage rise draws widespread criticism". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  18. Mackenzie, Dene (15 January 2014). "Accident prevention training may end". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  19. Bennett, Adam (11 June 2014). "Civilian's gain major parties' loss". Otago Daily Times. APNZ. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  20. 1 2 Sachdeva, Sam (24 January 2019). "Taxpayers' Union backed by tobacco giant". Stuff. Newsroom. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  21. Mackenzie, Dene (27 May 2016). "The more people smoke, the more they pay". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  22. Mackenzie, Dene (18 January 2018). "Taxpayers' Union takes issue with electric-vehicle funding". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  23. Harawira, Tumamao (5 February 2021). "Tau Henare criticises Taxpayers' Union petition opposing Māori wards". Te Ao Māori News. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  24. "Three Waters on the road". Local Matters. 20 June 2022. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  25. Williams, Jordan (29 November 2017). "Golriz Ghahraman saga reveals Greens in-fighting". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  26. Williams, Jordan (22 May 2017). "Jordan Williams: Never a better time for tax relief". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  27. Williams, Jordan (24 November 2022). "Christopher Luxon wrong to U-turn on tax policy". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  28. "New Company Incorporation – AUCKLAND RATEPAYERS' ALLIANCE LIMITED". Companies Register. New Zealand Companies Office. 15 June 2015. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  29. Donnell, Hayden (2 October 2019). "Auckland's penny-pinching rates protesters find a new hero". The Spinoff. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  30. Niall, Todd (26 July 2022). "Auckland mayoralty: Taxpayers' Union head says his various roles don't conflict". Stuff. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  31. Niall, Todd (7 March 2022). "Taxpayers' Union society wrongly listed as 'dissolved' after alleged hack". Stuff. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  32. Van Dongen, Yvonne (October 2022). "Voice Control". North and South . pp. 24–33. Archived from the original on 27 October 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  33. Weekes, John (4 August 2020). "Lauren Southern and Stefan Molyneux: 'Thugs' veto' canned visit, court told". Stuff . Archived from the original on 23 November 2021. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  34. Niall, Tony (25 July 2018). "Right-wing Canadian speakers' visit canned, legal action on back burner". Stuff. Archived from the original on 22 December 2019. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  35. "About". Free Speech Union. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  36. "Application for society to register as a union (completed copy)". fyi.org.nz. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  37. Giraud, Dane (6 May 2023). "Free Speech Union's submission on the Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion (Safe Areas) Amendment Bill". Free Speech Union. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  38. "Free Speech Union Submission on the Conversion Therapy Practices Prohibition Bill". Free Speech Union. 1 September 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  39. "Annual Report 2022 (PDF)" (PDF). Free Speech Union. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  40. 1 2 3 Hancock, Farah (31 August 2023). "'Astroturf' accusations over 'We Belong' website run by anti co-governance group". RNZ. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  41. "webelong.co.nz (Active)". Domain Name Commission. Retrieved 16 August 2023. webelong.co.nz Registrant contact: Campaign Company, 17/125 Queen Street, Auckland 1010
  42. Fisher, David (24 August 2022). "Auckland mayoral candidate Viv Beck locked out of online campaign after unpaid bill". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  43. Morton, Nathan; Niall, Todd (5 August 2022). "Leo Molloy's media manager exits Auckland Mayoralty campaign team". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  44. Hancock, Farah (7 August 2023). "'Save our stores': The 'corner dairy campaign' quietly backed by big tobacco". New Zealand Herald. RNZ. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  45. Dairy and Business Owners Group (8 August 2023). "Press Release: 'Save Our Stores' Isn't Us". Scoop. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  46. 1 2 3 Emanuel, Asher (6 September 2018). "'Who do you despise more?' Jordan Williams and Colin Craig at the Supreme Court". The Spinoff. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  47. Brown, Jacob (30 September 2016). "Jury finds Colin Craig did defame Jordan Williams". Newshub. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  48. Denney, Kelly (23 September 2016). "Taxpayers Union founder Jordan Williams' courtroom rant". Stuff. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  49. Robson, Sarah (11 April 2019). "Jordan Williams defamation case against Colin Craig: Retrial ordered by Supreme Court". RNZ. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  50. Williams, Jordan (3 December 2019). "Press Release: Calling it quits with Colin Craig". Scoop. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  51. Toy-Cronin, Bridgette (4 October 2019). "Not easy to end Craig's legal omnishambles". Newsroom. Retrieved 22 August 2023. McGregor…was hoping the High Court case was the final outcome. The prospect of the saga continuing is particularly painful when one considers that the High Court case took a long time. Two years elapsed between McGregor being served with the proceedings and the judgment being delivered, and there was a whole year between McGregor going to court to give evidence and then reviewing the judgment. That is a problem in itself.
  52. Manhire, Toby (30 September 2016). "Having trounced Colin Craig in comedy-horror libel case, here's how Jordan Williams could spend his $1.27m". The Spinoff. Retrieved 23 August 2023. But while there was plenty of reason to sympathise with MacGregor, it's difficult to see how anyone reading the reports of the trial would be feeling enamoured by either of these unpleasant men who seemed set upon slapping each other with legal fish
  53. Dennett, Kelly (6 September 2016). "Sexual harassment allegations against Colin Craig detailed for first time". Stuff. Retrieved 22 August 2023.