For the 2023 election campaign, the party described itself as opposed to "globalist interests" and in favour of "very little state interference in your life".[3][4]
NZ Loyal's economic policy statement was cast as a fight against the "Agenda 2030 plan to completely control every aspect of your lives", which is a conspiratorial view of the UN's sustainable development goals.[10] The party's policies included:
Economic self-sufficiency and "full spectrum economic dominance" through the nationalisation of assets including "communication", transport infrastructure, water, the energy grid and power stations.
More oil and gas production, in response to the supposed environmental damage done by electric cars and batteries.[10]
An end to reserve bank independence, which Gunn described as private ownership.
Battling and defeating unnamed global bankers over government debt.[10]
In a single line, both a "free and open market" and preferential use of local suppliers in housing and infrastructure.
Ending "excessive money printing" to prevent hyperinflation (which New Zealand has never experienced).[5]
A 1% transaction tax as part of a simplified tax code.[5]
2023 general election
New Zealand Loyal received 1.2% of the party vote in the 2023 general election,[11] failing to reach the 5% required to gain seats in parliament. None of the party's 33 electorate candidates were successful.
Party list issues
NZ Loyal intended to enter a 15-person party list, but failed to register most of those individuals in time. The party misunderstood different deadlines that applied to its party list and its "bulk information schedule" about constituency candidates.[12] Consequently NZ Loyal's official party list contained Gunn, Peter Drew and Phillip George Engel, who left the party before voting opened.[13][14] Had NZ Loyal passed the 5% vote threshold the remaining two candidates would have become MPs with the rest of the party's seats left vacant.
Gunn initially took responsibility for the administrative debacle, putting it down to "human error" within the party. Some days later she instead blamed "contradictory advice" from the Electoral Commission, which the party suspected may have been deliberate sabotage. Chief electoral officer Karl Le Quesne said that the Commission worked closely with all parties before and during the nomination period, that NZ Loyal submitted a list with three candidates within time, and that they had asked to add more people after the 14 September deadline.[2]
At the High Court in Wellington on 6 October, the Electoral Commission argued that deadlines and time frames should be strictly observed. NZ Loyal argued that the court could simply declare that the list had been submitted before the deadline. The judge called this a "novel and creative" idea and said that, "If you leave it to the last minute and something goes wrong, the responsibility falls squarely on the party."[12] No changes were allowed to the party list.[15]
Deregistration and rebuild (2024-25)
On 29 July 2024 the party's registration was cancelled at its own request.[16][4] A few days later, on 1 August, Liz Gunn applied to personally trademark NZ Loyal's name, logo, and slogans for a range of uses including printed material, advertising, political fundraising, and political lobbying.[17]As of 19August2024[update] her application is pending with the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand.[18]
In a series of back-and-forth videos over the following weeks Kelvyn Alp of Counterspin Media, a far-right platform that had been involved and supportive in NZ Loyal's run for Parliament, accused Gunn of unilaterally shutting down the party in violation of its constitution, and of financial improprieties. Alp positioned himself as the main architect of the party's policies. Gunn responded to his claims by accusing him of stealing information from the party.[19]
In November 2024 a new party board declared its intention to rebuild the party and fight the next election.[20][21] At an AGM they elected Alp as leader, and Brenton Faithfull as party president.[19] Also on the new "interim board" are Peter Verhoven and Marilyn Park.[22]
Alp is running under the party banner in the 2025 Tāmaki Makaurau by-election.[19] Party founder and former leader Liz Gunn responded to Alp's candidacy by accusing him of "theft".[23]
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