Latest news with #ActParty
The Independent
2 days ago
- General
- The Independent
New Zealand MP holds up naked deepfake photo of herself in Parliament
New Zealand MP Laura McClure held up a naked deepfake photo of herself in Parliament to highlight the dangers of the technology. McClure, from the Act Party, demonstrated how easily and quickly (less than five minutes) the fake image could be created online. She told the House on Wednesday (May 14) that the image was not real, despite appearing to be her. McClure emphasised the degrading and devastating impact of deepfakes on victims. She expressed discomfort at having to display the image in Parliament, even knowing it was fake. The purpose of her demonstration was to raise awareness about the potential harm caused by deepfake technology.
The Spinoff
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Spinoff
Inside deputy prime minister David Seymour's celebration brunch
On Sunday the newly minted deputy prime minister had brunch with Act Party faithfuls. Gabi Lardies was there. The stairs were completely jammed up with Epsom's finest. The dress code was unclear – alongside Kathmandu rain jackets were stiletto heels and magenta ties. It seemed that the majority of the mostly older crowd, who were imprinting red lipstick on their takeaway coffee cups about 10 steps away from their brunch reservations, were completely unfazed by the hordes of people outside, who were waving Palestine flags and chanting,'you're supporting genocide'. Once upstairs the chanting was inaudible, instead giving way to a new sensory experience, the smell of baby powder. Tickets were carefully checked and people were sequestered to their assigned tables, all 20 or so of them, round, covered in black polyester tablecloths and seating 10. So began the Act Party's special celebration brunch on Sunday morning at the Hyundai Marine Sports Centre on Auckland's Tāmaki Drive. The occasion? A milestone. A huge ascension. A shiny new role for their leader. Little more than a decade after being the sole Act MP in parliament thanks only to the Epsom electorate, David Seymour was sworn in as deputy prime minister barely 24 hours earlier. That part was no surprise, it was all as laid out by the coalition agreements signed in November 2023. Each of the coalition party leaders is to serve half a term as deputy. Winston Peters' 18 months are up, and now it's Seymour's turn. The title is largely just that – a title. Being deputy does not come with any specific portfolios and the biggest responsibility is acting as prime minister when Christopher Luxon is away. Even Seymour has confessed that ' to be honest, it doesn't make a massive practical difference '. But still, party members, supporters and hardcore loyalists turned up to give him not one, but two standing ovations. But first, brunch. I confess there was one journalist in the room who had assumed a celebratory brunch would mean bubbles, or at least mimosas, but the chilled glass bottles on the tables were merely water, and nary a drop of juice was to be seen. Glasses of muesli and yogurt were distributed around the room by waitstaff and then prodded unenthusiastically. One by one, tables were invited to make their selections from the buffet tables on either side of the room, not unlike a wedding reception. The buffet tables were a dietary requirements nightmare. It was mostly half-sized pastries that were erupting flakes within a 5km radius. If you didn't want a pastry, you could opt for an english muffin, not that they were gluten free. All eggs were scrambled, mixed up with who knows what and extremely close to the bacon. The drinks table was similarly non-woke. There was a box of teabags, a cauldron of coffee and one jug of cow's milk, with an undisclosed amount of skim. None of the attendees requested plant-based milk. At about 10.20am, David Seymour stepped into the room, wearing what he always wears – a dark toned suit with a coloured tie, this time blue. In the sea of retirees, he looked like a fresh foal, long legged and eager to please. 'Thanks for coming,' he said quietly to a table of adoring fans. 'Do you live nearby?' Before he got to life's big questions, he was whisked away to the front of the room, where pop-up Act branded banners and a lectern sliced up the perfect view of Rangitoto. Behind the logos, the volcano stood proudly in the shimmering waters, flanked by Northhead and Motutapu. Little sailboats wobbled on the shimmery sea and seagulls circled. But nobody was looking out there. Seymour chatted to Act president John Windsor near tables scattered with his MPs: Karen Chhour wore a breast cancer ribbon on each of her magenta lapels, Parmjeet Parmar quietly looked on, and Todd Stephenson and Simon Court entertained John Banks. Laura McClure seemed restless, pacing in and out and across the room. When Brooke Van Velden arrived she joined her leader at the front of the room. Neither of them ate, though Seymour sipped from a takeaway coffee cup he'd bought in with him, and Van Velden made herself a steaming cup of tea. At 10.45am, Act staffers checked the TV cameras were ready to roll before giving Seymour the go ahead. President Windsor took the lectern and a hush quickly descended over the room. He introduced Van Velden, who then introduced the deputy prime minister of the moment, Seymour. Before he had got a word in, the clapping (but not cheering) crowd popped up out of their seats. They stood and clapped for what felt like a feature length movie. Then finally, the Sunday speech they'd been anticipating for 18 months began. 'It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men and women.' Seymour began with a quote from Samuel Adams, one of the United States founding fathers. He left no doubt in anyone's minds that it was people in this room who were that irate, tireless minority, and the fire they were lighting was one of classical liberalism. For 23 minutes Seymour spoke without once glancing at notes or fumbling. Every head on every table was turned his way. There was no chatter, no one scrolling on a phone, not even a cough. Eating and drinking were paused. The laughs came on all the right cues, at comments like 'some people probably think that books are a symbol of colonisation' and 'it was written by Brooke, but like Helen Clark, I just signed it' and all the references to Dancing with the Stars. Most of all the laughing came when Seymour roasted his opponents. 'I get so much free accommodation living in Willie Jackson's head,' he said. 'You know nearly every single press release from Labour, every fundraising email, every talking point, is about how dangerous David Seymour is… I'm going to have to declare to Labor, yes, I am dangerous, but only to you and your batty outriders.' Seymour painted a narrative of triumphing against the odds. The Act Party once on the brink of getting evicted from their offices, now at the centre of government. The many trials and tribulations along the way, like not breaking 1% support for five years. Then a roll call of gratitude to supporters, both big, small, financial and otherwise. The bulk of the speech though was ideological. The word freedom came up again and again, as did liberal. There were some notable omissions. Seymour never mentioned the Treaty principles bill. Not once. Nor did he mention his coalition partners or their parties. Seymour finished with a look to the future. 'Buckle yourselves in because, in Hillary terms, this, today, is only basecamp.' The crowd popped up like meerkats again, determinedly clapping, and yet strangely silent. But it was all over quickly. Seymour's presence had been promised to a handful of media and their cameras, who followed him and his team into a small room near the entrance of the building. The brunchers were told they were welcome to stay around for more tea and coffee, but the wordless muzak was turned up and the waitstaff started clearing the tables. In the small media room, the Act MPs stood in a triangular formation much like the pins in ten pin bowling, with Seymour as the head pin. 'This is not any kind of end,' he said, 'it's just another rest before we keep climbing.' His team smiled and nodded along. So what would the peak be? 'A multiple term government with Act at the centre of it.' Outside a cold wind lifted the sole remaining Palestine flag. The Act Party supporters had mostly melted into the walkers along the waterfront or the line of traffic winding its way to Epsom. When the fundraising efforts begin for the election campaign, they will be called on first, to support the rest of the climb.
The Independent
2 days ago
- General
- The Independent
MP bravely holds up naked photo of herself in parliament to show dangers of deepfake technology
A New Zealand MP bravely held up a naked photo of herself in Parliament to highlight the dangers of deepfake technology. Laura McClure, from the Act Party, revealed the censored image and explained it took less than five minutes to create online. 'This image is a naked image of me but it's not real,' she told the House on Wednesday (May 14). Discussing the dangers of deepfake, she added: 'For the victims, it is degrading and it is devastating. It gave me the ick having to stand in Parliament and hold up the photo of myself, even knowing that it's not actually me.'
NZ Herald
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Act leader David Seymour to make celebratory speech as New Deputy Prime Minister
David Seymour has been sworn in as Deputy Prime Minister, succeeding Winston Peters. Seymour's appointment marks a milestone for the Act Party, which now has 11 MPs. He is set to outline his vision for the country at a celebratory brunch in Auckland this morning. New Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour is holding a brunch with supporters and party members this morning to celebrate his fresh appointment. Seymour, leader of the Act Party and a Cabinet Minister, is expected to outline his vision for the country for his 18-month tenure as deputy Prime Minster and beyond. The address, taking place in Auckland, will be live-streamed at the top of this article from 10.45am. Seymour drove himself to the venue, Hyundai Marine Sports Centre, on Auckland's Tamaki Drive, and pro-Palestine protesters chased his car as he pulled in. Seymour was sworn in as deputy Prime Minister yesterday at Government House in Auckland, taking over from New Zealand First leader Winston Peters. The Act leader was joined by family members, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro. Kiro congratulated Seymour, and Luxon called it a 'great privilege'. The Act Party called it a 'historic milestone'. 'Not only for Seymour personally, but for the Act Party, which has grown from a caucus of one in 2014 to 11 MPs and seats at the Cabinet table in 2025.' In a speech after the swearing-in ceremony, Seymour said he would be judged he would be judged by how much was delivered for the people of New Zealand – 'all of the people, those who support Act and those who don't.' 'If I proved anything, it's that anyone can dance, not always that well, but well enough to earn people's respect and give a lot of entertainment along the way,' he said, in reference to his stint on Dancing With The Stars. Seymour is the 21st person to hold New Zealand's deputy prime ministership. His predecessor, NZ First leader Winston Peters, has held the role three times. Several deputies have gone on to become Prime Minister, including Keith Holyoake, Jack Marshall, Robert Muldoon, Geoffrey Palmer, Helen Clark and Bill English. On the deputy prime ministership, Seymour told the Front Page this week, 'It's one of those things you probably didn't think would happen in your life, but here we are'. 'I think it's good for New Zealand. It shows if you're a bit quirky but if your heart's in the right place and you put in the work, as Crowded House say, 'You can get somewhere'.' Seymour was first elected to Parliament as MP for Epsom in 2014. The Act Party's sole MP would become its leader. Just over a decade later, he sits beside 10 others after leading the party to its best result ever in the 2023 general election. His latest tenure in the Beehive hasn't come without controversy. His Treaty Principles Bill, which Act heralded as a 'promise of equal rights for all New Zealanders' was fiercely criticised for its perceived impact on Māori rights. It was one of the drivers behind a massive hīkoi to Parliament in November, where tens of thousands of people rallied in protest. It received an unprecedented amount of public submissions, more than 300,000. Despite it being dead in the water at the start (coalition partners had always intended to vote it down), Seymour said he was not at all surprised it created so much backlash. This week, Nicola Willis claimed ignorance about the importance of today to the Government on Heather du Plessis-Allan's Newstalk ZB Drive show. Du Plessis-Allan told her it was the day Seymour became Deputy PM. 'You can imagine it is not marked as an enormous love heart on my calendar,' Willis said, claiming not much would change. Du Plessis-Allan replied: 'I want to say 'stop pretending' but I know you have to pretend because you have to work with the guy'. Seymour is the Minister for Regulation and the Associate Minister of Health, Finance, Education, and Justice. Before politics, he worked as an electrical engineer in New Zealand and for private sector think tanks in Canada.
NZ Herald
22-05-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
Education Minister Erica Stanford promises more teachers, learning support staff
The number of teachers and those in learning support roles will grow by more than 1600 by 2028, Education Minister Erica Stanford will announce this morning. Education got a $2.5 billion boost in Budget 2025. Much of the money will pay for extra learning support for students with alternative or complex needs. Full time equivalent teaching and learning support roles will grow by more than 1600 by 2028, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. Stanford is speaking on plans for the country's teaching workforce at Mt Albert Grammar in Auckland this morning. 'We know the most important part of a child's education is the quality of the teacher in front of them. Developing the workforce of the future is one of my priorities for the education system. 'We want to grow, promote and support the education workforce by backing and strengthening our educators who every day deliver real change in the classroom.' Stanford's announcement comes the morning after the Government outlined its spending plans in yesterday's Budget. Education got a $2.5 billion boost in Budget 2025, with much of the money going to extra learning support for students with alternative or complex needs. The Government says the new funding will build more bespoke classrooms and pair more specialists like speech language therapists and educational psychologists with students who need it. Hundreds of millions have been earmarked to reform the Ongoing Resources Scheme (ORS) which helps students with the highest needs participate in the classroom. The Budget boost was the biggest in a generation for learning support after years of 'pittance', Stanford said yesterday. Teachers had told her about the pressures of not only having more students, but an increasing number with additional learning needs. 'We don't have the teacher aide support, the specialist support, the speech language therapists, the educational psychologists that they need. We are now making sure those supports will be available.' A new Māori education package also includes a training scheme to help teachers learn te reo, which comes after the Government cut a similar $30m scheme last year. There will also be $33m to expand the School Onsite Training Programme by 530 places over four years and 'powering up marketing' to reach more potential teachers in New Zealand and overseas. More than $50m over three years has been promised to fund approximately 115,000 teacher registrations and practicing certificates. The Government is also increasing funding for private schools, with $15.7m allocated over the next four years to boost private schools in a bid to support diversity and choice in the education systems, Associate Minister of Education and Act Party leader David Seymour said.
