Leader of The Opportunity Party, Qiulae Wong, says the party is "starting to see traction". Photo / Jack Riddell
Leader of The Opportunity Party, Qiulae Wong, says the party is "starting to see traction". Photo / Jack Riddell
A record number of candidates will be running for The Opportunity Party at the election this year, with the party saying it’s on track to stand candidates in more than 30 electorates.
Having a large number of candidates can help boost party vote performance, as that party has greatercampaigning ability. While The Opportunity Party (TOP) stands little chance of winning an electorate, running in a large number of electorates is often also helpful in driving up the party vote.
The party unveiled its “first tranche” of 26 candidates and a deputy leader, Daniel Eb, to stand alongside new leader Qiulae Wong.
Northland-raised Eb calls himself a “red herring” within the traditionally urban-based Opportunity Party.
Daniel Eb has been named as The Opportunity Party's deputy leader. Photo / Supplied
“I was really privileged to have both an urban and rural upbringing and those two styles of living have gone on to shape my career,” he said.
Eb is the founder of communications agency Dirt Road Comms and Open Farms, an inaugural open farm day initiative connecting urban-residing New Zealanders with the agriculture sector.
Eb will stand in the North Auckland electorate of Kaipara ki Mahurangi.
Kayla Kingdon-Bebb is another headline candidate for TOP this election, standing for Wellington Bays.
Kayla Kingdon-Bebb currently heads the New Zealand branch of the World Wide Fund for Nature. Photo / Supplied
Kingdon-Bebb is currently the chief executive of the World Wide Fund for Nature’s New Zealand branch, and previously served as policy director for the Department of Conservation.
She envisions TOP as the party disaffected National Party voters can rely on for a consistently centrist view and a strong interest in environmental protection.
“The Green Party has a lot of great environmental policies, but they aren’t for everybody.
“There are a lot of right-leaning voters – particularly National voters, who look at the track record of this Government, probably our most anti-environment Government ever, and don’t recognise their own party,” she said.
Donors seem to be seconding that centrist stance, with the party receiving two large donations from political philanthropists who have traditionally been left- and right-wing respectively.
Mills has previously donated similar amounts to Labour and the Green Party.
Technology entrepreneur Brian Cartmell donated $100,000 to Opportunity in March, and says he contributed to the three coalition parties last year.
In a statement posted on his website, Cartmell said: “My view is that the current coalition represents the best available chance of navigating this sea change in a way that preserves New Zealand’s sovereignty, prosperity and independence.
“A healthy democracy needs parties willing to put forward ideas that the major parties won’t. New ideas enter the political process from the edges, and parties like Opportunity play an important role in making sure that process doesn’t stagnate.”
TOP has failed to get into Parliament since its first run with leader Gareth Morgan in 2017, receiving just 2.4% of the vote in that election, its best result to date.
Opportunity’s leader Qiulae Wong is confident this will be the year the party will break the threshold and make it into Parliament.
“We’re starting to see the traction and the momentum that we need. Our polling average is higher than it’s ever been this early on,” she said.
Wong hopes TOP can be seen as an alternative to New Zealand First, which has held a strong position in coalition negotiations with both major parties in the past.
“I think most New Zealanders would rather not see Winston Peters be the one to decide who leads the next Government.
“There’s currently no other party to play that role, I think Opportunity is the credible alternative,” she said.
Troy Matich is a political reporter with Newstalk ZB, working from Parliament’s press gallery. She joined NZME in 2025, previously working for RNZ as a producer for Morning Report.
