Democarcy NZ (DNZ) party leader Matt King was eager to assure voters that backing his party would be "no wasted vote" at a public talk in Wānaka on Thursday night.
Speaking to a crowd of about 20 people, the former National MP for Northland drew parallels with the Act party when talking about DNZ’s election strategy.
"In 2017, the Act party got 0.5% party vote around the whole country. But David Seymour got a seat and they got into Parliament.
"And in one three-year term he went from the lone ranger, with nothing, to nine MPs now."
Mr King said his focus would be on winning back his seat in Northland, which would make reaching the 5% threshold much more achievable.
"It’s much easier for us, as a minor party, to win a seat," he said.
Mr King was also quick to address the turmoil facing the party following the ousting of Waikato candidate Steven Cranston. The move saw four other candidates quit the party in protest.
"I had some really passionate freedom fighters join us with high profiles and I tried to sculpt them into politicians," said Mr King.
"I’ve got a team here of candidates, and I'm trying to steer them through the mines to get to the end game."
He said despite the "conjecture" around "shadow candidates", DNZ had "no hidden agendas" and maintained the leaving candidates were "all good people".
"Some of them are going to join other parties and if that’s the case I just wish them all the best. And I really mean that."
In a speech that ran for about an hour, Mr King spoke on his party’s "bottom lines", which included "preserving and protecting" the Bill of Rights, removing "race-based legislation", and protecting private property rights.
Mr King said his party embraced "climate realism", and was opposed to any legislation that would hinder the production capabilities of the nation’s agricultural sector.
He also reiterated his opposition to the government’s overall response to the Covid-19 pandemic, with a particular focus on vaccine mandates.
"I do not want to live in a country where that can happen again," said Mr King.
Also present at the meeting was DNZ’s Waitaki candidate Roger Small, who said he had never seen himself becoming a politician, but did so as he was "really worried about our democracy".
"If I stand up, then that might encourage other people to stand up," he said.
The pair also took questions from the audience, which ranged from DNZ’s stance on the Marsden Point oil refinery to the potential for the growing number of minor parties to "dilute the vote".
