Act as of the present time has ten Members of Parliament. Having attended the Act Party election launch I had the privilege of hearing the top seven speak. They were all very impressive. I thought a bit of background on all of them might be helpful.
David Seymour, the Leader, needs no introduction although some of you may not know that he has had two stints working in Canada where he worked firstly as a policy analyst for a think tank. After returning to New Zealand in 2011, David advised John Banks on the initial policy development for Partnership Schools, prior to returning to Canada to work with Reform Party founder Preston Manning. Today, David lives in Central Auckland, and, when he is not promoting ACT, tinkers with the sports car he built, plays the guitar, enjoys a craft beer and keeps up with friends and family.
Brooke van Velden, Deputy Leader:
Brooke left the private sector to work behind the scenes in Parliament to pass the End of Life Choice Act. She is qualified in international trade and economics and has been a factory worker and corporate affairs consultant. Her practical and political experience has given her a deep understanding of the economy and the effect big government policies and rushed laws have on businesses and individuals. She switched from being a Green to an ACT supporter whilst studying economics at university. The ability for free markets to lift countries from hardship was a revelation to her.
Nicole McKee:
Number three, Nicole is a mother of four, has a background in law, and is passionate about welfare reform and freedom of speech. Before entering politics, Nicole ran her own business providing firearms safety training, and is a four-time NZ shooting champion. Nicole was the co-ordinator of the nations volunteer firearms safety instructors for the Mountain Safety Council and the spokesperson for the Council of Licensed Firearms Owners and its Fair and Reasonable campaign.
Chris Baillie:
Number four, Chris worked for 15 years as a teacher for children with special needs, and before that he had been a policeman for 14 years. Chris also owns a small business in Nelson, employing 30 people. He believes in personal responsibility and personal freedom: in particular, the right to free speech. He also believes that the way forward for New Zealand is to have less bureaucratic and government intervention in our lives.
Simon Court:
Number five, Simon is a Civil Environmental Engineer with 23 years’ experience in roles for the private sector and local government. This includes ten years leading engineering, planning, tendering, and construction teams primarily in Auckland, Wellington and Fiji. Simon believes in the principles of the ACT party where communities, individuals and business lead the way.
Dr James McDowall:
Number six, James has a PhD and a young family, and speaks Chinese. He has led the development of ACT’s Firearm Policy in the wake of the government’s 2019 Arms and Amendment Act. James owns several small businesses including an immigration law firm. He has also worked for a large NGO in the mental health sector. James describes himself as a classical liberal who is a sceptic of all big government. He says that his experience in business and the community sector has taught him that government has a role but when it oversteps that role, it becomes part of the problem rather than the solution.
Karyn Chhour:
Number seven, Karyn is coming to parliament to make a better world for the children left down and out by the public system. Her own story of overcoming adversity to have a loved family of her own and a successful business is the embodiment of ACT values. She changed her future. Karyn has been self-employed in the NZ-made clothing industry. She strongly believes that, with the right tools, anyone in this country can make something of themselves no matter their start in life.
Mark Cameron:
Number eight, Mark is the authentic voice of rural New Zealand. Mark is a 48-year-old dairy farmer from Ruawai, Northland. He has lived and farmed around the Northland region for 30 years. He has seen the calamity of rural mental health and understands what MPI inspectors coming onto your land means in practical terms. Mark stood for ACT because he felt that the rural sector has been let down by successive governments of both major parties.
Toni Severin:
Number nine, Toni and her husband run their own business that operates in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland. Before this, Toni was a Qualified Lab Technician at CDHB for 14 years. Toni holds strong values of self-responsibility, less government interference and freedom of choice.
Damien Smith:
Number ten, Damien has extensive experience in business, banking, and company directorship. He has a Masters in Business Administration and is a qualified educationalist. Damien stood for the ACT Party because New Zealand needs its aspirational policy values: free trade, property rights and privacy, the right to conduct business, freedom of speech, a more accountable government, and giving everyone a fair go.
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