The New Zealand Public Party (NZPP) and Advance NZ have disbanded their election alliance after gaining just 0.9 per cent of the vote at the 2020 General Election.
NZPP, led by controversial figurehead Billy Te Kahika, joined with Advance NZ, led by former National Party MP Jami-Lee Ross, in the lead-up to the election on a platform largely based on the promotion of conspiracy theories.
In a release today, Te Kahika said "NZPP will continue to call things out on behalf of the public, hold this government up to scrutiny, demand its accountability, and defend our rights and freedoms.
"We will also be a watchdog of the New Zealand media that continues to be hostile towards the organisation that is rightfully questioning the Government’s COVID-19 narrative and educating the public about the patently dishonest actions of this sector towards us and the persistent slanting of facts and misinformation," he said.
Despite the split, Te Kahika said Ross's Advance NZ would continue to have his support.
"Advance NZ will always have our support going forward and I will still maintain strong respect and friendship with Jami-Lee Ross and we will still work together on common goals where needed," Te Kahika said.
NZPP said Billy Te Kahika is not stepped down as leader, and is "not severing its relationship with Advance NZ - it is simply restoring its autonomy".
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