Liz Gunn’s New Zealand Loyal Party is no more

Monday, 29 July 2024

Liz Gunn’s New Zealand Loyal party is no longer registered with the Electoral Commission.

The party’s registration was cancelled at its own request, the commission said.

The party was founded by Gunn in June last year and received 1.2% of the party vote in the general election.

Liz Gunn’s New Zealand Loyal party is no longer registered as a political party with the Electoral Commission.

The commission said on Monday the party’s registration and logo had been cancelled as of July 26 at the party’s request.

Gunn, a former television presenter turned anti-vaccine activist, founded New Zealand Loyal in June 2023 with a pitch to voters of “very little state interference in your life”.

“No mandates, no masks, no bullying,” she said in a video launching the party. “Imagine a country where you could create whatever your imagination and your community want because power has gone back to the communities.”

The party’s policies included introducing a 1% transaction tax, stopping fluoridation of public water supplies, and ending New Zealand’s participation in international bodies such as the United Nations and the World Health Organisation.

New Zealand Loyal gained 1.2% of the party vote in the 2023 general election, falling short of the 5% threshold required to enter Parliament.

Before the election, the party took court action to have more of their list candidates recognised after missing the registration deadline, but their efforts failed. Only three list candidates were registered in time.

In May 2023, Gunn was found guilty of assault following an incident at Auckland Airport involving an airport security worker.

In late 2022, Gunn became a central figure in the case of Baby W, whose heart surgery was delayed because his parents demanded vaccine-free blood. Gunn was the first to report the case – and became the parents’ most unrelenting, vociferous advocate.

New Zealand Loyal party was founded in June 2023 by the former television presenter and anti-vaccine activist Liz Gunn.

Party’s official logo included the slogan, “Loyal to You, Not to Them”, which Gunn said referred to “the globalists”.

In the 2023 general election, the Gunn’s party failed to reach the 5% party vote threshold that is required to gain seats in Parliament. They only managed to gain 1.2%.

In May 2023, Gunn was found guilty of assault following an incident at Auckland Airport involving an airport security worker.