Satirist launches 'up-of-centre' party

Satire writer Ben Uffindell says 'don't take me seriously'. Photo / NZ Herald

Satirist Ben Uffindell says this year's election needs an injection of humour.

The creator of The Civilian commentary site has thrown his hat into the political ring with the launch of his party, The Civilian Party.

He is calling for members to join so it can register with the Electoral Commission before this year's general election.

In a statement Mr Uffindell described his party as neither left nor right of the centre, but "up-of-centre".

"Because we believe in moving upwards toward a brighter future, like a moth to a flame.

We don't want to move the country sideways; we want to move it forward."

He told TV3's The Nation his party was "on track" to gaining 500 members needed for registration.

"We desperately, desperately do need those numbers, but we're on track."

Politics needed to be a little less serious, he said.

"We all need to laugh and we all need to take ourselves a little less seriously and have fun in an environment that is too often too serious and too hostile and that's why it's great the Conservative Party is bringing that."

Mr Uffindell calculated that if 70 per cent of the people who read The Civilian voted for his party, that would translate to 844,000 votes.

"And we will probably be the next Government."

Some of the The Civilian Party party policies

• Every New Zealander should be given one tub of Government-funded icecream;

• declare New Zealand's independence from Hamilton;

• establish a space program, and become the first nation in Australasia to send a man to the moon; not to explore it, just someone we don't like;

• reform the tax system so that it rewards success and punishes failure. Ensure that the bulk of taxes are aimed at the greatest source of poverty in New Zealand: the poor;

• close the pay gap between men and women by working to reduce men's wages; and

• alleviate poverty amongst children by giving every poverty-stricken child a llama as a means to a basic income.