While the Māori Party imploded, ACT delivered.

Party: ACT

Date Received: 2025-10-17 18:15

HTML Version

Dear [Name],

While Te Pāti Māori spent the week imploding, ACT was out there delivering – cutting red tape, backing students, opening schools, and standing up for democracy. No theatrics, no headlines for the sake of it, just outcomes that make life better for real people.

This is what happens when a party that believes in hard work, not hand-outs, gets to work fixing what matters.

Let's crack into it.

Local Government: Māori Wards slashed by more than half.

Last weekend was a landmark moment for local democracy, and a big win for common sense.

Across the country, 42 councils held referendums on Māori wards. When the results came in, 25 voted to remove them – cutting Māori wards by more than half. When people were finally given a choice, they made it clear: representation should be equal, not divided by race.

That’s why ACT pushed for, and secured, referendums on Māori wards in our coalition agreement. Because every New Zealander deserves the same say, wherever they live.

Local Government: Nine newly elected representatives

It was also a historic day for ACT Local. In our first serious step into local government, we stood 46 candidates across 25 councils, and nine were elected to represent their communities. That brings the total to 20 ACT-aligned representatives now serving around New Zealand – a strong foundation to build on.

Here are the results:

Davina Smolders – Far North District Council
Matt Yovich – Whangārei District Council
Amanda Lockyer – Ōrākei Local Board, Auckland Council
Damon Fox – New Plymouth District Council
Jerry Pickford – Manawatū District Council
Nigel Elder – Greater Wellington Regional Council
Malcolm Taylor – Marlborough District Council
Dr John Hyndman – Marlborough District Council
Robbie Byars – Otago Regional Council

These are real Kiwis, standing up for ratepayers, not bureaucrats.

“In some cases, I was kind of hoping they wouldn’t get elected so we can run them next year. We’ve now got nearly 50 people, almost all of whom stood for the first time, and our whole process of campaigning is greatly strengthened by having done it.” – David Seymour

He’s right, this campaign wasn’t just about council seats. It was about finding new talent, building our movement, and showing that Kiwis are ready for local government that delivers value for money.

Our new councillors are already getting to work in their communities – proving that democracy works best when everyone has an equal voice and a fair go.

Auckland Uni’s race-based course finally made optional

Imagine being a first-year student, excited to start engineering, education, or even health science, and then being told you have to fork out up to $5,730 for a compulsory Treaty paper you never asked for. That’s what 8,000 students at Auckland University faced this year. They spoke up, questioned its relevance, and said what most people were thinking: it had nothing to do with their degrees or their future careers.

ACT listened. And now, the University has been forced to back down.

The University of Auckland has voted to make its compulsory Treaty course optional – ACT’s Dr Parmjeet Parmar is calling it “an enormous win for student choice.”

“The compulsory nature of this course was always about pushing Treaty ideology onto students, with no regard for their interests.” – Dr Parmjeet Parmar

But the job isn’t done yet. Parmjeet is now urging the University to compensate affected students:

“Students paid fees, lost time, and missed out on courses they actually would have chosen.” – Dr Parmjeet Parmar

For years, university was the natural next step for school leavers. But that’s changing. Fees are up, jobs aren’t guaranteed, and young people are rightly questioning whether the old model still stacks up.

So when 8,000 students chose to go to university, only to have that choice taken away by a compulsory, irrelevant paper – it’s only fair they get something back.

Parmjeet’s proposal is simple: the University should offer a credit for another paper of the students’ choosing, or their money back.

Three new charter schools opening

We’ve got to stop pretending every child learns the same way. Choice is a great thing, but for years, the bureaucrats in Wellington have acted like there’s only one right way to educate a Kiwi kid. One model, one method, one size fits all.

That’s never made sense to parents, teachers, or students – and it sure doesn’t make sense to ACT.

This week, Associate Education Minister David Seymour announced three new charter schools opening in 2026, bringing the total to 14, with more to come. These schools show what real choice looks like: flexibility, innovation, and teachers free to do what works for kids.

Aotearoa Infinite Academy – an online school giving students who can’t attend in person the freedom to keep learning.
Te Aratika High School – helping Māori and Pacific students reconnect through hands-on learning and culture.
Altum Academy – Wellington’s first charter school, teaching Classical Education through grammar, logic, and rhetoric.

“Every child deserves an education that gives them the opportunity to learn and grow in ways which are more specific to their needs.” – David Seymour

This is what happens when you trust people instead of systems. Give families choice, back good teachers, and watch kids thrive.

Red tape relief for cake makers

If you’ve ever baked a cake for a friend and thought, “I could sell these,” the Government just made that dream a lot easier. Until now, home bakers were treated like big commercial factories, piles of paperwork and compliance costs for a dozen cupcakes. Not anymore.

By November, small-scale cake makers will no longer face the same red-tape burden as large bakeries. Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard said it best:

“There is no reason low-risk cake makers should have to navigate the same level of red tape and compliance costs as a large commercial bakery, but currently they do." – Andrew Hoggard

“People shouldn’t be bogged down in compliance for the sake of it. The Red Tape Tipline is giving Kiwis a voice, and it’s working.” – David Seymour

Dozens of bakers told ACT the rules were nonsense. We listened, and fixed it. That’s how government should work.

Celebrating five years of outstanding work from Brooke, Nicole, Mark, Karen, and Simon.

Until Next Week

While others argue over identity politics, ACT is getting on with the job. In one week we’ve stood up for students’ rights, opened new doors for kids through charter schools, cut needless red tape for small business, and helped restore equal democracy in local government.

ACT is showing what happens when politics focuses on outcomes, and proving that when the government gets out of the way, New Zealand works better.

We’re here to fix what matters for Kiwis just like you [Name].

👉 Say g'day at our next event

Thanks,

Team ACT

DONATE TODAY

[Name], if you like what we're doing, and wish to support us, please consider donating. As a grassroots movement, we rely on the support from Kiwis like you.

This email was sent to [Email]

You can update your email preferences here

Authorised by C Purves, Suite 2.5, 27 Gillies Avenue, Newmarket, Auckland 1023

Text Version

<https://www.act.org.nz/>Dear [Name], <https://action.act.org.nz/>
While Te Pāti Māori spent the week imploding, ACT was out there delivering – cutting red tape, backing students, opening schools, and standing up for democracy. No theatrics, no headlines for the sake of it, just outcomes that make life better for real people.
This is what happens when a party that believes in hard work, not hand-outs, gets to work fixing what matters.
Let's crack into it.
<https://www.iheart.com/podcast/30202125/episode/300011303/ Government: Māori Wards slashed by more than half.
Last weekend was a landmark moment for local democracy, and a big win for common sense.
Across the country, 42 councils held referendums on Māori wards. When the results came in, 25 voted to remove them – cutting Māori wards by more than half. When people were finally given a choice, they made it clear: representation should be equal, not divided by race.
That’s why ACT pushed for, and secured, referendums on Māori wards in our coalition agreement. Because every New Zealander deserves the same say, wherever they live.
Local Government: Nine newly elected representatives
It was also a historic day for ACT Local. In our first serious step into local government, we stood 46 candidates across 25 councils, and nine were elected to represent their communities. That brings the total to 20 ACT-aligned representatives now serving around New Zealand – a strong foundation to build on.
Here are the results:
- Davina Smolders – Far North District Council
- Matt Yovich – Whangārei District Council
- Amanda Lockyer – Ōrākei Local Board, Auckland Council
- Damon Fox – New Plymouth District Council
- Jerry Pickford – Manawatū District Council
- Nigel Elder – Greater Wellington Regional Council
- Malcolm Taylor – Marlborough District Council
- Dr John Hyndman – Marlborough District Council
- Robbie Byars – Otago Regional Council
These are real Kiwis, standing up for ratepayers, not bureaucrats.
“In some cases, I was kind of hoping they wouldn’t get elected so we can run them next year. We’ve now got nearly 50 people, almost all of whom stood for the first time, and our whole process of campaigning is greatly strengthened by having done it.” – David Seymour
He’s right, this campaign wasn’t just about council seats. It was about finding new talent, building our movement, and showing that Kiwis are ready for local government that delivers value for money.
Our new councillors are already getting to work in their communities – proving that democracy works best when everyone has an equal voice and a fair go.
Auckland Uni’s race-based course finally made optional
Imagine being a first-year student, excited to start engineering, education, or even health science, and then being told you have to fork out up to $5,730 for a compulsory Treaty paper you never asked for. That’s what 8,000 students at Auckland University faced this year. They spoke up, questioned its relevance, and said what most people were thinking: it had nothing to do with their degrees or their future careers.
ACT listened. And now, the University has been forced to back down.
The University of Auckland has voted to make its compulsory Treaty course optional – ACT’s Dr Parmjeet Parmar is calling it “an enormous win for student choice.”
“The compulsory nature of this course was always about pushing Treaty ideology onto students, with no regard for their interests.” – Dr Parmjeet Parmar
<https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/indonz/576115/auckland-university-in-u-turn-on-mandatory-treaty-of-waitangi-course-after-backlash>But the job isn’t done yet. Parmjeet is now urging the University to compensate affected students:
“Students paid fees, lost time, and missed out on courses they actually would have chosen.” – Dr Parmjeet Parmar
For years, university was the natural next step for school leavers. But that’s changing. Fees are up, jobs aren’t guaranteed, and young people are rightly questioning whether the old model still stacks up.
So when 8,000 students chose to go to university, only to have that choice taken away by a compulsory, irrelevant paper – it’s only fair they get something back.
Parmjeet’s proposal is simple: the University should offer a credit for another paper of the students’ choosing, or their money back.
Three new charter schools opening
We’ve got to stop pretending every child learns the same way. Choice is a great thing, but for years, the bureaucrats in Wellington have acted like there’s only one right way to educate a Kiwi kid. One model, one method, one size fits all.
That’s never made sense to parents, teachers, or students – and it sure doesn’t make sense to ACT.
This week, Associate Education Minister David Seymour announced three new charter schools opening in 2026, bringing the total to 14, with more to come. These schools show what real choice looks like: flexibility, innovation, and teachers free to do what works for kids.
- Aotearoa Infinite Academy – an online school giving students who can’t attend in person the freedom to keep learning.
- Te Aratika High School – helping Māori and Pacific students reconnect through hands-on learning and culture.
- Altum Academy – Wellington’s first charter school, teaching Classical Education through grammar, logic, and rhetoric.
“Every child deserves an education that gives them the opportunity to learn and grow in ways which are more specific to their needs.” – David Seymour
This is what happens when you trust people instead of systems. Give families choice, back good teachers, and watch kids thrive.
<https://www.youtube.com/watch tape relief for cake makers
If you’ve ever baked a cake for a friend and thought, “I could sell these,” the Government just made that dream a lot easier. Until now, home bakers were treated like big commercial factories, piles of paperwork and compliance costs for a dozen cupcakes. Not anymore.
By November, small-scale cake makers will no longer face the same red-tape burden as large bakeries. Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard said it best:
“There is no reason low-risk cake makers should have to navigate the same level of red tape and compliance costs as a large commercial bakery, but currently they do." – Andrew Hoggard
“People shouldn’t be bogged down in compliance for the sake of it. The Red Tape Tipline is giving Kiwis a voice, and it’s working.” – David Seymour
Dozens of bakers told ACT the rules were nonsense. We listened, and fixed it. That’s how government should work.
Celebrating five years of outstanding work from Brooke, Nicole, Mark, Karen, and Simon.
Until Next Week
While others argue over identity politics, ACT is getting on with the job. In one week we’ve stood up for students’ rights, opened new doors for kids through charter schools, cut needless red tape for small business, and helped restore equal democracy in local government.
ACT is showing what happens when politics focuses on outcomes, and proving that when the government gets out of the way, New Zealand works better.
We’re here to fix what matters for Kiwis just like you [Name].
👉 Say g'day at our next event <https://action.act.org.nz/events>
Thanks,
Team ACT
<https://action.act.org.nz/donate>DONATE TODAY <https://action.act.org.nz/donate>[Name], if you like what we're doing, and wish to support us, please consider donating. As a grassroots movement, we rely on the support from Kiwis like you.
This email was sent to [Email] <https://action.act.org.nz/unsubscribe>
You can update your email preferences here <https://action.act.org.nz/unsubscribe>
Authorised by C Purves, Suite 2.5, 27 Gillies Avenue, Newmarket, Auckland 1023