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 as she stepped up to the microphone on Thursday night. She followed a tribute performance to the twins by Country Musician of the Year Tami Neilson with nominee Southland singer-songwriter Jenny Mitchell.
"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."
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 artists to perform in.
"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 mother****ing arts submission to get a few lousy dollars from the government.
"This is not fair! It's not fair!"
Defence was allocated $4.29bn 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.
"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.
"If you give that 2.1 billion to the arts - wherever you are Mr Goldsmith - 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 $1.6bn from this 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 its 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 percent.
"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."
'We will continue the good fight' - Tami Neilson
Earlier in the night, as she accepted her record-breaking eighth win for Best Country Artist, Tami Neilson told the crowd that Dames Jools and Lynda Topp "laid the foundation for my career in New Zealand about 20 years ago". She toured with the twins for about five years.
"It's just such an example of the kindness and the generosity that those women hold."
She also recalled Dame Jools' speech that "when there's even a little crack in the door that opens for you in this music business, especially as a woman, make sure that you stick your foot in that door and kick it wide open and hold it open for others to come through behind you."
The Topp Twins' music and comedy also gave a voice to some important issues for New Zealanders, Neilson said, and they used their platform to put them centre stage.
"We know them as being incredible comedians and entertainers and country music artists, but the thing that I think taught me the most was their activism and their fearlessness and their deep sense of justice. And so they taught me to stand up for the oppressed," Neilson said.
"You've got to stand up. You've got to have guts.
"So what would two queer women who brought the country endless joy dressed up as drag kings Ken and Ken say about some Temu MAGA definition of a man and a woman? Queer, trans and non-binary people have existed since the dawn of time.
"So love your neighbour as you love yourself - and mind your own damn business!
"Dame Jools Topp, you may have had to lay down your sword, but you taught me and countless other New Zealanders to fight, so we will continue the good fight."
