The Opportunity Party is defending rules that could allow just two of its seven unelected board members to veto a coalition deal negotiated by its elected MPs.
Leader Quilae Wong said the situation was “perfectly acceptable,” despite the party changing its constitution in August after criticism over the board’s powers to overrule its caucus. She said a full review was planned for next year.
ACT leader David Seymour said if Opportunity were to reach the 5% threshold, two unelected board members could effectively choose New Zealand’s next government and Prime Minister.
Party boards are involved in coalition sign-off across the political spectrum, but the rules differ for the various parties.
National’s board approves agreements alongside its leader and parliamentary wing, while Labour and the Greens have protocols that involve party councils and members. ACT’s elected leadership must consult with its board, but Seymour said the board cannot override the decisions of elected MPs. Opportunity’s two-member veto stands out as an anomaly.
One of those board members is Alan Wilderland, co-founder of music and DJ software company Serato, who gave $220,000 to Opportunity. Wilderland recently admitted he was “not interested in politics,” adding he “doesn’t know how easy it would be to get the Left to agree”.
Constitutional lawyer Graeme Edgeler told RCR that despite Opportunity’s rules allowing two board members to veto a coalition agreement, ultimate power remains with elected MPs, who cannot be forced by party officials to vote a particular way in Parliament.
Edgeler also said this was the first election since 2005 where the outcome has remained uncertain so close to polling day, predicting higher voter turnout as both government supporters and opponents mobilise for what could be the most unpredictable election in 20 years.
However, commentator Ani O’Brien questioned how democratic Opportunity’s board arrangement might be. “Six people we know very little about will be the ones deciding. Can Opportunity be made to answer how this is democratic at all?” she said. Businessman Nick Mowbray also flagged the arrangement as being “clearly one of the most consequential aspects of this election”.
This story has been republished with permission from RCR Bites. For news like this direct and free to your Inbox every day, go to biteme.news to sign up for RCR Bites.
If you are a media outlet interested in republishing RCR Bites stories, please contact inbox@rcr.media.
