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Summarised by Centrist
The Opportunities Party is officially hiring. In a job ad posted to Seek, the minor party called for a new leader ahead of the 2026 election, framing the role as ideal for someone who can “handle the heat without melting.”
“Feeling like everyday Kiwis get a raw deal from politics-as-usual?” the ad asks, inviting applicants from all walks of life.
The party wants a figurehead who is confident but not self-absorbed, and who can “consider different opinions without taking disagreement personally.”
Campaign manager Iain Lees-Galloway emailed members to confirm the search. “We’re looking for someone who is comfortable being front and centre without making everything about themselves,” he said.
TOP last made headlines under Gareth Morgan, the controversial cat-hating economist who founded the party in 2016 and tanked its reputation with a tweet comparing Jacinda Ardern to “lipstick on a pig.” His remarks led to resignations and his eventual departure in 2019.
Successors Geoff Simmons and Raf Manji also failed to lift the party over the 5% threshold. The party’s only electoral win remains a single seat on the Featherston Community Board in 2022.
Despite three failed general elections, TOP plans to contest the 2026 vote. A party spokesperson told Stuff the ad’s tone was “absolutely intentional.” They said TOP wants a leader as unconventional as the party itself.
