ACT’s about to make a ‘major election-related announcement’

Tuesday, 14 July 2026

Is Seymour resigning? Sources say he’s not. But it’s a mystery until 11am.

A cryptic media advisory was sent out at 7:35 last night with the subject line: ‘Major announcement tomorrow’. The main clue it gives is that it’s “not a policy announcement’. So is someone resigning? Have they signed a banging candidate? Lloyd Burr speculates.

The ACT Party dropped a massive tease into the inboxes of political reporters last night, revealing leader David Seymour will make a “major election-related announcement’ at 11am today.

Usually, media advisories come with strict instructions that they’re ‘for planning purposes only and not for publication’ but this one didn’t.

“Tomorrow, ACT Leader David Seymour will make a major election-related announcement in Auckland,” it says, giving the location which is a hotel in central Auckland (which we’re not publishing).

Does that location give a hint? Maybe they’re announcing a high-profile candidate to stand in the Central Auckland electorate? Problem with that theory is that they’ve already locked in their candidate Antonia Modkova.

The ACT advisory (with location details redacted by Stuff)

Adding to the mystery is this line: “This is not a policy announcement. No exclusive will be offered, and there will be no embargoed material. A press release will be issued at the commencement of the standup”.

That sounds pretty significant, so could Seymour be resigning as leader? He’s managed to climb all the way up to Acting Prime Minister, and now he’s clocked politics and is standing down? Possible, but unlikely. He’d likely do that in his Epsom electorate.

However, it’s worth noting that when the advisory went out for what became Brooke van Velden’s resignation, it described it as “an announcement regarding the upcoming election”.

Seymour’s resignation would certainly warrant adding the word “major” to that. No offence to them, but any other ACT MPs standing down wouldn’t classify as a “major announcement”.

Maybe it’ll be a list-only candidate? Have they got someone who’d cause a stir like Leo Molloy? Have they got a defector from National or NZ First? (Or even Labour?).

Or this could just be a stunt to get newsrooms in a frenzy over nothing.

Regardless, check Stuff at 11am to see if it is major, or if it’s a bit of an anti-climax.