ACT New Zealand

ACT New Zealand, known simply as ACT (), is a right-wing, classical-liberal political party in New Zealand. According to former party leader Rodney Hide, ACT's values are "individual freedom, personal responsibility, doing the best for our natural environment and for smaller, smarter government in its goals of a prosperous economy, a strong society, and a quality of life that is the envy of the world".Rodney Hide
, "Speech to ACT Auckland Regional Conference, 30 July 2006" Young ACT is an associated (albeit unofficial) student wing.

The name is an acronym of Association of Consumers and Taxpayers, which was founded in 1993 by Roger Douglas and Derek Quigley and became a political party for the 1996 election. An associate of Douglas, Richard Prebble served as party leader from 1996 to 2004. Under Prebble's leadership the party held nine seats in Parliament. Rodney Hide served as leader from 2004 to 2011. ACT was briefly led by former National Party leader Don Brash for the 2011 election, after which the party caucus was reduced to one seat.

ACT gave support to the Fifth National Government from to 2017. It is currently led by David Seymour, who became the party's leader in October 2014 and has been an elected MP of the party since September 2014. During the 2017 election, ACT retained its sole seat in Epsom and received 0.5% of the party vote. Benefiting from the collapse of the National Party vote, ACT won 7.6% of the party vote and 10 seats in the 2020 election, its best result since its founding.

Principles

ACT states that it adheres to classical-liberal and small government principles coupled with what the party considers as a high regard for individual freedom and personal responsibility. ACT sets out its values:
* That individuals are the rightful owners of their own lives and therefore have inherent freedoms and responsibilities.
* That the proper purpose of government is to protect such freedoms and not to assume such responsibilities.
* All people should be equal before the law regardless of race, gender, sexuality, religion or political belief.
* Freedom of expression is essential to a free society and must be promoted, protected and preserved without restriction other than for incitement, criminal nuisance or defamation.
* Citizenship and permanent residency should be subject to applicants affirming New Zealand's values.

Policies and ideology

ACT has been characterised as a classical liberal and libertarian party, although its stances have changed under successive leadership and the party's support base has drawn a big tent and a broad church of voters. ACT's platform featured conservative populist policies under former leaders Richard Prebble (1996–2004) and Rodney Hide (2004–2011). Under the current leadership of David Seymour, commentators have identified a shift in policy to a more libertarian outlook. The party has also been variously defined as subscribing to libertarian conservatism, conservative liberalism, right-wing populism, and social conservatism; the latter two of these tendencies have become marginalised at present in the party but still visible among ACT's supporters and grassroots activists. Seymour has stated that he does not view populism as the way to govern a country or stimulate growth, and has accused the centre-left New Zealand Labour Party of engaging in populism in its business, spending and tax policies.

ACT wants to reduce or remove some government programmes which it sees as unnecessary and wasteful and to increase self-reliance by encouraging individuals to take responsibility to pay for services traditionally paid for by the government. Under leader Rodney Hide, ACT New Zealand had primarily focused on two main policy areas: taxation and crime ( law and order issues). At the 2011 general election, ACT advocated lowering tax rates and also supported something approaching a flat tax, in which tax rates would not be graduated based on wealth or income, so every taxpayer would pay the same proportion of their income in tax. The flat tax rate that ACT proposed was approximately 15% with no tax on the first $25,000 for those who opt out of state-provided accident, sickness and healthcare cover. , the party proposes reducing GST and decreasing the marginal tax rate paid by those on the median wage; however it currently does not advocate a flat tax rate.

At the 2020 general election, the party campaigned on a broad policy platform. It prioritised economic recovery (''see: ''), keeping national debt low, and signing up to a CANZUK agreement which would enable free movement of people and goods between the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Canada and Australia. The party wants to protect freedom of expression and limit funding for universities that do not uphold freedom of speech on campus. It supports immigration while it calls for compulsory measures for immigrants to assimilate and limiting citizenship or permanent residency to those who pledge to uphold the values of New Zealand.

Law and order

On its website, ACT states "that all New Zealanders should have the same fundamental rights, regardless of race, religion, sexuality or gender". The party says "the rights of victims should trump the rights of criminals" and has a number of tough on crime policies focused primarily on trying to control gangs. Party leader, David Seymour, wants to reintroduce the three strikes law repealed by the Labour Government, and even impose three year prison sentences, without parole, on anyone who commits three burglaries. ACT advocates repealing restrictive firearms legislation, and taking a "tougher" stance on criminals who repeatedly offend and those found guilty of violent crimes while supporting rehabilitation programs.

Social issues

Members of ACT's caucus in parliament voted 5 to 4 in favour of the Civil Union Act 2004

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