Dame Lynda Topp blasts government in emotional NZ Music Awards speech

Friday, 29 May 2026

Speaking at a music awards ceremony, an emotional Lynda Topp pays tribute to her late twin sister Jools, while delivering a fiery, expletive-laden message to the arts minister demanding more financial support for the local creative industry.

Surviving Topp Twin, Dame Lynda, has delivered a blistering, impassioned volley at the government for overlooking the arts in this year's Budget, and been met with a standing ovation at the Aotearoa Music Awards.

Dame Lynda, who lost her twin sister Dame Jools earlier this week at the age of 68, fought back a wave of emotion on Thursday night as she accepted the microphone and began speaking after a tribute performance by eight time country music singer of the year, Tami Neilson.

'It's going to be hard to say a few words to you all,“ Dame Lynda said. ”I've been crying for a whole week, and a whole year before that and a whole year to come.

'I performed with my sister for over 40 years. Being a twin is such a beautiful thing to be. Not once in that 40 years did we ever rehearse.'

Jools and Lynda Topp, who performed together for more than 40 years.

She was met with warm appreciative laughter, but soon changed tone to a forceful reproach, eliciting widespread loud cheering and clapping from the audience.

'When we performed 40 years ago there were hundreds of venues in this country. We played in cafes and pubs, rural halls, woolsheds, house parties, and now we've lost so many of those places for young artist to perform in.

Lynda Topp speaks with reporter Ava Whitworth about honouring her late sister, Jools, alongside New Zealand's music industry. 'Women will never go away,' she says, offering an inspiring message to the new generation of female artists.

'We need support for artists in this country, we need a government that say the arts is more important than a defence budget. Way more!

'I see young artists struggling not because they've got a gig on Friday night - because they are trying to put through some sort of crazy motherf…ing arts submission to get a few lousy dollars from the government.

'This is not fair! It's not fair!'

Defence was allocated $4.29b in Budget 2026, which was presented earlier in the day.

Next she forcefully called out the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith.

'I believe that our arts and culture minister is here,' she said looking out to the audience at The Civic Theatre in downtown Auckland.

'We are not defined by a government.

Dame Lynda Topp and Tami Neilson on the NZ Music Awards red carpet.

'We are defined by people and our culture and our art.

'I've got a message and Paul, if you listen up for a little minute, I'd like you to take a message back to Wellington.

'I did a speed read on the Budget this afternoon, there doesn't appear to be any money for music, but in big, big letters in the top of the news: $2.1 billion for defence. What the f…!'

Poking fun at New Zealand's size, she had the audience roaring with laughter questioning how the increase in the defence budget would help, if New Zealand faced the threat of an invasion, and saying passionate musicians could probably do more on the battlefield than our defence force.

'What are we going to do if somebody invades Aotearoa? We've got approximately three tanks, and two of those are set in concrete in Waiouru,' Dame Lynda Topp said.

Dame Lynda Topp at the Aotearoa Music Awards 2026.

'If you give that 2.1 billion to the arts - wherever you are Mr Goldstein [sic] - you tell me what you're gonna do with that $2.1?

'Because if you give it to us, you put Alien Weaponry up the front and you put Dick Moves next to them, and you put Hori Shaw on a horse behind them … and I'll be at the top of a hill. And ain't nobody going to get through us, baby! No one!!'

Loud whooping and cheering met her blunt fierceness, with the audience rising for a standing ovation.

On Saturday, Minister of Defence Chris Penk said $1.6b from the Budget would go toward upgrading New Zealand's maritime fleet and drones, along with $700m for defence projects, and $220m a year for operational Defence Force funding. An allocation of $25m was also made for modernising defence training.

She thanked the musicians performing live at the event, before thanking New Zealand for their support over the last week.

'Right now it feels like the whole country is grieving for my beautiful twin sister,' she said.

'And maybe governments and future governments can take a leaf out of our book, 'cause if you give back, you get back, 110 per cent.

'So tonight, in the honour of my beautiful twin sister, who I will never ever, ever stop missing, be strong. Never give up. Play your instrument loud and sing at the top of your lungs, and remember that music makes us human.'