The People's Choice Party of New Zealand.

The People's Choice Party of New Zealand.

Leader Rusty Kane.
Founding members, Doug Wilson - Rusty Kane.

Conceived from the 1997 Doug Wilson protest walk from New Plymouth to Wellington collecting 52 ,000 signatures for a petition calling for the then Governor-General Sir Micheal Hardie Boys to dissolve parliament and impose a snap election. It was a historical event, as it was the first ever public people's petition against the government to be presented to a New Zealands Governor-General. This event was the catalyst for The People's Choice Party to be formed and officially registered on 14 May 1999 with 1172 financial members.“The People's Choice Party” was later officially de-registered in 2002 before the 2002 election to fully support the Labour Party, boasting a membership base of 2504 financial members.

Although de-registered The People's Choice Party remains and stays active as a small political Ginger Group supporting their leader Rusty Kane as an Independent under The People's Choice banner. Nationally it promotes (BCIR) Binding Citizens Initiated Referendum NZ being a republic and NZ having it's own written constitution.

Locally in it's home base New Plymouth it has raised public awareness and donations to save the Waitara to Lepperton rail line from being ripped up and sold. Spearheaded the initial representation for the Waitara Leaseholders to freehold their council owned land their houses sit on from the NPDC. Helped form the(WLA)Waitara Leaseholders Associations and (CEPRA) Chemically Exposed Paritutu Association and promotes public awareness against the use of 1080 and Fluoride.


The People's Choice Party was the first political party to be registered out of Taranaki, and the first political party to stand a Pakeha (non Maori) in a Maori seat. (Te Tai Hauauru seat 1999).

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