Te Tai Tokerau Party
The commission pondered whether the name of Kapa-Kingi’s new party would confuse voters, given it is also the name of the Māori electorate, which stretches from the Far North region into Auckland, including West Auckland. The name and the party’s logo were ultimately accepted.
Kapa-Kingi’s new party was birthed amid ongoing disputes with Te Pāti Māori. This year of turmoil culminated in Kapa-Kingi’s expulsion from the party. She successfully challenged the validity of the expulsion in court, but ultimately decided to form her own party, named after the same Māori seat she won for Te Pāti Māori.
The Free Palestine Party
More than 200 submissions were submitted during public consultation opposing the Free Palestine party. The commission acknowledged the sensitivity of the issue, with Free Palestine a common rally cry or slogan used to advocate for the liberation of Palestine and its people. Supporters argued the name was a “call for human rights and freedom, a call for the end of the occupation of Palestinian territories and associated with peaceful protest that should be upheld in the name of free speech”.
Opponents claimed the name was “offensive” and an “implicit call for hostility against Israel and Jewish communities”. The commission has allowed the name but not the logo because it is the Palestinian flag and was likely to cause confusion. Logos, it said, should not be synonymous with an international campaign. This flag was widely used and voters were likely to be confused over who they were supporting.
New Zealand Loyal
New Zealand Loyal’s name was approved but not its logo. It comes amid reports of a feud between Gunn, the party’s former leader, and the current leader, Kelvyn Alp. The Post reported that this dispute spanned Gunn deregistering the party, Alp and allies reviving it, and Gunn in return labelling his efforts as fraudulent and moving to file a trademark application.
The logo was barred as its rights were the subject of the trademark application. Alp’s iteration of the New Zealand Loyal party can contest the election but won’t be able to have a logo appear on the ballot paper – as time has run out for Alp to file a new one.
Julia Gabel is a Wellington-based political reporter. She joined the Herald in 2020 and has most recently focused on data journalism.