McKee named ACT Deputy Leader

The ACT Party has announced that Cabinet Minister Nicole McKee has been elected as the party’s new Deputy Leader during its 2026 Annual General Meeting, with leader David Seymour describing her as the ideal person to help lead the party into the next election.

McKee said she was honoured by the confidence shown in her by the ACT caucus and pledged to help the party return to government while preventing Labour from regaining power.

“The ACT Caucus has placed its trust in me, and I am deeply grateful. Together, we are focused on locking Labour out so we can unlock New Zealand’s potential,” she said.

Reflecting on her political journey, McKee said she never expected to become a Member of Parliament, let alone a Cabinet Minister and Deputy Leader, after entering politics at Seymour’s encouragement six years ago.

“It was a big change for a humble wife and mother of four, a New Zealand sporting representative, a small-business owner, a hard worker, and a community volunteer,” she said.

McKee said she joined ACT because it was prepared to defend individual freedoms and represent New Zealanders who work hard and “follow the rules”. She said the party remained committed to reducing red tape, rewarding effort, respecting taxpayers and improving the delivery of public services.

She also said families, workers and small businesses had borne the cost of poor government decisions over recent years, promising to continue advocating for those she said “pay the bills”.

“New Zealand is worth fighting for. I am excited to support David Seymour and our Caucus as we continue campaigning to unlock New Zealand’s potential.”

Seymour praised McKee’s appointment, saying she had earned the respect of her parliamentary colleagues through her work as a minister and her willingness to tackle difficult issues.

“As a Party Leader you’re only as good as the people around you. I’m grateful for Brooke van Velden’s support over the past six years and thrilled to have someone of Nicole’s calibre stepping into the role,” Seymour said.

He credited McKee with championing firearms law reform, saying she had continued ACT’s long-held position on the issue despite significant public scrutiny.

“Nicole is straight-talking, principled, and practical. She is a breath of fresh air in Parliament and has never forgotten who she is here to represent,” he said.

Seymour said ACT remained focused on reducing the size of government, cutting unnecessary regulation and pursuing what he described as practical reforms aimed at improving New Zealand’s future.

“Our team is united, focused, and ready for the work ahead. We are campaigning to unlock New Zealand’s potential with a smaller, more efficient Government, less red tape, a focus on fixing what matters, and a national identity we can all take pride in.”