Facebook takes down Advance New Zealand page for second time over misinformation breach

Advance New Zealand is led by disgraced former National MP Jami-Lee Ross (right), and contested the 2020 election in a pact with Billy Te Kahika's (left) New Zealand Public Party. Photo / File

Facebook has taken down a second page set up by controversial political party Advance New Zealand.

In October Facebook removed the party's original page saying it had repeatedly breached the social media site's misinformation policies.

"We don't allow anyone to share misinformation on our platforms about Covid-19 that could lead to imminent physical harm," a spokeswoman said.

A Facebook spokesman this morning said a second page set up had now also been removed.

"When we remove Pages for violating our policies, we don't allow them to circumvent this by creating new Facebook Pages," he said.

"We have removed Advance New Zealand Party's Facebook Page for violating this policy."

The party is led by disgraced former National MP Jami-Lee Ross, and contested the 2020 election in a pact with Billy Te Kahika's New Zealand Public Party.

When contacted by the Herald Ross declined to comment.

"I have not spoken to a reporter in many months since the election and I am not going to now."

He then hung up the phone.

During the election the party was warned repeatedly over spreading misinformation, particularly conspiracy theories relating to Covid-19.

It was ordered to pull misleading advertising claiming vaccinations were mandatory under the law - which they aren't.

In August the party was ordered to pull a political video off social media which claimed the Labour Party would force New Zealanders to be vaccinated.