Society Insider: Real Housewife of Auckland Gilda Kirkpatrick hosts Winston Peters for NZ First Event at her Paritai Drive mansion

Kirkpatrick, who lives in the Tāmaki electorate and runs her own creative agency, Hello, hosted large events for three right-leaning parties before the 2023 election: Act, National and NZ First. This year she was only holding the one for NZ First.

Gilda Kirkpatrick in the formal lounge of her Ōrākei home. Photo / Michael Craig

She says this year she has dined with representatives from other parties – National’s Tāmaki candidate, Phase One Ventures chief executive Mahesh Muralidhar, and his wife, corporate executive Praveena Karu, and Act’s Tāmaki candidate, lawyer James Christmas, and his husband, tech executive James Carpinter. She calls both candidates “good people” but says this year, “NZ First aligns with my own philosophies and hopes for the country this election”.

More than 170 guests attended Kirkpatrick’s event, including NZ First candidates Craig Stobo, the former Financial Markets Authority chairman standing in Botany, and Daryl Habraken, Odd Socks production company owner and former Bachelorette NZ star, who is running for Northcote.

Guests listen to Winston Peters in Gilda Kirkpatrick’s formal room.

Kirkpatrick, who has worked in advertising and marketing with her partner James Polhill for more than a decade, says she has worked with Habraken on commercials and voice-overs and it was great to catch up.

Earlier that day, Peters had been at the tangi for his older brother, educator and former MP Jim Peters at Whakapaumahara Marae in Whananaki, Northland.

Kirkpatrick says he earned the respect of everyone in the room by turning up to her event and showing his resilience and commitment.

“He showed everyone that as a person he has commitment to this country,” she says. “He delivered too; there were dozens of questions and he answered them all.”

Kirkpatrick hosted Peters for more than an hour and a half in her formal room, which looks out over the Waitematā.

Winston Peters answered questions from the more than 180 people who gathered for Friday’s event.

Guests were seated in the room, packed on to the terrace and up the stairs inside.

They were treated to canapes, walk-and-fork options and an open bar, with Champagne Jacquart courtesy of Kirkpatrick’s former Real Housewives of Auckland co-star Anne Batley-Burton, who attended with her husband Richard Burton.

Meanwhile, Friedlander was less forthcoming about her Sunday soiree, which Society Insider is told was a private party.

Jillian Friedlander hosted members of the Act Party at her Remuera home on Sunday.

“There were about 100 guests and a large bar had been set up by the pool,” a source said.

“The food on offer was top-notch and the politicians in good form.”

At the last election, Friedlander hosted a Women’s Suffrage anniversary lunch with Act deputy leader and Tāmaki candidate Brooke van Velden as guest speaker. Society Insider dubbed it the best lunch of the election season for its detail and finishing touches.

At the event on Sunday, the pool was decorated with white lotus flowers, and the decor had an “old money” vibe.

Model, DJ and saxophonist Gregory Hunter performed at an Act Party soiree on Sunday. Photo / Norrie Montgomery

Ōrākei-based saxophonist, model and DJ Gregory Hunter performed for guests from the balcony. We are told he didn’t know it was a political event until he arrived. Hunter, who has played and modelled at events for Bulgari and Cartier, is moving to Sydney this week.

Seymour and Henry sat panel-style on a stage in the Friedlanders’ garden and are said to have enjoyed mixing with guests afterwards.

Act candidate Paul Henry (left) and party leader David Seymour on stage at the Remuera soiree on Sunday. Photo / @Gregoryhunteriii

Seymour had come off a busy social week. On Friday evening he was at the Empower Me Pink cancer fundraiser with his fiancee, buyers’ agent Alexandra Vincent Martelli, who was the night’s auctioneer. On Tuesday, the couple attended the REINZ Awards for Excellence at the Viaduct Events Centre.

Henry had been busy campaigning in the North Island, including New Plymouth and Whanganui.

The two events come after other influential Aucklanders’ election soirees earlier in the year. In June, Zeil founder Anna Mowbray and her husband, former All Black Ali Williams, hosted a women-in-business fundraiser dinner at their Westmere mansion for National’s Auckland Central candidate, Candace Kinser. The same month, Auckland real estate king Graham Wall hosted an event for Kinser at his Herne Bay office, attended by Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown.

Party People of the week

Black Grace Gala

Leading contemporary dance company Black Grace gathered at St Matthew-in-the-City last Thursday for its annual gala, this year in support of the new Black Grace studio, Fale, and the recently formed Black Grace Academy.

Lizanne Knights, Neil Ieremia and Julian Knight. Photo / David St George

Guests were welcomed with a glass of Laurent-Perrier Champagne, then dined on a Pacific-inspired menu by Little Wolf, with red and white wines from The Ned and non-alcoholic options from Lyre’s.

Samoan drag queen Buckwheat presided as ringmistress, and the evening featured dynamic performances by the Black Grace dancers and new academy dancers. There was a performance by the Auckland Pasifika Secondary Schools Choir, directed by Alo Feagaigafou (Nainz) Tupa’i of Adeaze.

Buckwheat MCs at St Matthew-in-the-City. Photo / David St George

A rousing tribute to country music legend Dolly Parton saw Black Grace founder and artistic director Neil Ieremia and Buckwheat dancing to Islands in the Stream, accompanied by Black Grace dancers and academy students.

Guests included Black Grace producer Abby Ieremia, artists Lisa Reihana and Rosanna Raymond, model and opera singer Isabella Moore, New Zealand Trade & Enterprise chief executive Sanchia Yonge, fashion stylist Sammy Salsa, Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi general manager Jessica Palalagi, arts patrons Lizanne and Julian Knights, and JungleGym founder Geoff Devereux.

Abby Ieremia and Jessica Palalagi. Photo / David St George Ema Lyon and Rosanna Raymond. Photo / David St George Petrina Togi-Sa’ena, Sina Wendt and Isabella Moore. Photo / David St George Julian Knights and Sanchia Yonge. Photo / David St George Aumua Pea’ario Bradbeer, Kiona Ieremia, Sammy Salsa, Sevai Tolovae and Soteria Ieremia-Jones at the Black Grace Gala. Photo / David St George Ray Calver, Liz Hancock and Geoff Devereux. Photo / David St George Sammy Salsa with his mother Sevai Tolovae. Photo / David St George

Ricardo Simich has been with the Herald since 2008, contributing to The Business Insider. In 2012 he took over Spy at the Herald on Sunday, which has since evolved into Society Insider. The weekly column gives a glimpse into the worlds of the rich and famous.