The Far Right Playbook

Far rightism in Aotearoa is underpinned by a global and local history of colonial conquest. The idea that far-right politics are something that happens “over there” and have occasionally, or recently, washed up on New Zealand shores is comforting. It also lets our country off the hook. Since the 1800s we have been promoted as an escape from oppression happening “over there”. A benevolent, just and harmonious nation where everyone gets a “fair go”. These escape fantasies require one to suspend the brutal realities of invasion, colonial land theft and white supremacy upon which New Zealand, the nation state, was formed.

Corporate capture, privatisation & profit propaganda

When governments over simplify economic policies, prioritise profit over people and enable mass privatisation.

Far-right Governments will often sell the idea of a ‘common sense approach’ to economic policy. But the reality is that these policies tend to push neoliberal, trickle down economics that prioritise private interests over public good. When they’re doing this, they will sell the idea that ‘profit’ and ‘growth’ will help us to achieve better living standards, despite evidence to the contrary.

  • The often used ‘Profit is good’ mantra - no matter whose profit and at whose expense.
  • Marketing private sector profits as unquestionably good for the public despite research clearly showing the opposite (profit-driven inflation report)
  • Making fiscal policy sounds as simple as household finance management.
  • Pushing the belief that government debt is bad despite it being cheaper than private sector financing.
  • Privatisation:
    • Health – aged care workers pay discrepancies
    • Transport – privatisation of public transport services
    • Public Private Partnerships
    • The energy sector sell-off
    • School lunches debacle
  • Corporate capture in government / Ministers connected to lobbyists and industry

Attacking Te Tiriti o Waitangi

In Aotearoa, our democratic foundation is premised upon the agreement between ngā iwi Māori and the Crown through Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

By threatening social cohesion and creating division, a far-right government undermines Te Tiriti and the role it plays in law, policy and democracy as a whole. Passing legislation that undermines the power of Te Tiriti in our societal institutions and defunding initiatives aimed at strengthening Māori self-organisation. Inciting racism as a smokescreen to dismantle Te Tiriti based mechanisms that stand in the way of privatisation and corporatisation of state assets.

  • Disestablishment of Te Aka Whai Ora
  • Māori Education curriculum review
  • Repeal of Oranga Tamariki Section 7AA
  • Youth Boot camps
  • Treaty Principles Bill
  • Treaty Clauses Review
  • Regulatory Standards Bill
  • Threats of a Waitangi Tribunal Review
  • Changes to the membership of the Waitangi Tribunal
  • Māori Wards referendums
  • Removal of Treaty clause in the Corrections Bill
  • Directive to use less te reo in the public sector
  • Directive to ignore Māori in Pharmac decisions
  • General cabinet directive to prevent services 'based on race' / DEI languaging
  • General ignorance of the Crown's treaty duties (the Tribunal keep pulling them up on this, e.g. when they kept saying "it's in the coalition agreement" as a defence for everything)
  • Marine and Coastal Area Act changes
  • Three strikes regime reinstatement
  • Failure (so far) to respond to and fully implement Whanaketia recommendations
  • Fast track approvals bill
  • RMA changes, including removing treaty clause (detail on this is TBC but it will be bad)
  • Smokefree legislation repeal
  • Cutting funding for te reo Māori training for teachers
  • Funding stopped for resource teachers of Māori
  • Bowel cancer screening age limit up for Māori

Evading Democracy & Suppressing Voters

When Governments don’t care about the things that protect democracy like electoral rules, voters rights or ignoring submissions through the select committee process.

We expect that when we participate in democracy, that our voices will be heard, our votes will be counted and that our values will be represented by the elected government. But when a far-right government is in power, they will work hard to stop voters who are more progressive from participating in democracy.

They do this by removing or weakening the things that protect public interest (like fast tracking bills) and maintain a safe or reasonable level of scrutiny (like defunding the electoral commission and using private election companies in local elections).

  • Defunding the electoral commission
  • Moves to get rid of special voting (this is unsubstantiated - needs research/ OIA)
  • Removing voter rights for people in prison
  • Not reading all of the submissions in the TPB select committee process
  • NB we have heard rumours that there may be a crackdown on early and special voting in the next general election - this would require an OIA potentially about discussions at the electoral commission
  • Use of urgency to push through bills without proper scrutiny:
    • Pay equity
    • Te Aka Whai Ora
    • Other examples?
    • Not reading submissions on the TPB and the RSB
    • Ignoring RSB recommendations and weaponising changes to the bill
  • Fast track bill
  • Going through the select committee process, but ignoring public feedback (for example 85% against fast track, majority against no-cause evictions and māori wards changes)

Weakening Civil Society

Healthy democracies have strong opposition and an independent press. Authoritarian politicians and regimes attack not only the press, but also the influence of other voices, such as NGOs or other critical organizations.

Civil society acts as a counterbalance to governance. It mobilises its supporters to take action, such as supporting a lawsuit, protesting or striking. Civil society can be shrunk through formal means, by cutting its funding or criminalizing it. But its credibility can also be taken away through astroturfing or the hijacking of progressive narratives.

  • New authoritarian protest laws
  • Increased criminalisation of activists
  • Defunding of the community sector

Weakening Journalism & Spreading Misinformation

By discrediting independent journalism as unreliable and spreading disinformation themselves, it becomes harder for citizens to know what the facts are.

We expect that when we participate in democracy, that our voices will be heard, our votes will be counted and that our values will be represented by the elected government. But when a far-right government is in power, they will work hard to stop voters who are more progressive from participating in democracy.

They do this by removing or weakening the things that protect public interest (like fast tracking bills) and maintain a safe or reasonable level of scrutiny (like defunding the electoral commission and using private election companies in local elections).

  • Defunding the electoral commission
  • Moves to get rid of special voting (this is unsubstantiated - needs research/ OIA)
  • Removing voter rights for people in prison
  • Not reading all of the submissions in the TPB select committee process
  • NB we have heard rumours that there may be a crackdown on early and special voting in the next general election - this would require an OIA potentially about discussions at the electoral commission
  • Use of urgency to push through bills without proper scrutiny - Pay equity - Te Aka Whai Ora - Other examples? - Not reading submissions on the TPB and the RSB - Ignoring RSB recommendations and weaponising changes to the bill
  • Fast track bill
  • Going through the select committee process, but ignoring public feedback (for example 85% against fast track, majority against no-cause evictions and māori wards changes)

Declaring a Crisis & Scapegoat Politics

Far-right governments will manipulate crises and blame others to undermine democracy and entrench their power.

It works to the advantage of populist politicians to take steps to elevate a problem to a crisis. Populist leaders use a tried and tested recipe to increase their power and undermine democracy. They create a sense of urgency and crisis, which allows them to gain support for drastic measures. Then, they will blame their leftist predecessors for their inability to fix the issues.

  • ‘Wasteful spending’ by the previous labour government
  • ‘The country is broke’ narrative
  • Crimewave narratives
  • Painting Māori as above the law/ getting special privileges
  • Counter examples:
    • one person one vote only applying to landlords in local elections
  • Portraying beneficiaries as bludgers - cutting benefits and overemphasis on benefit fraud compared to white collar crime.
  • The hyperfocus on trans issues - the misinformation that trans rights impede on the rights of women
  • Hate speech = free speech

Planting Allies into Positions of Power

All governments will put their own people into positions of power - but a far-right government will intentionally put people into positions of power and influence where they will intentionally and deliberately cause conflict.

This works by destabilising the autonomy of organisations, business and boards by installing hostile allies into positions of power. This is an example of government overreach, where conflicts of interest are overridden, disregarded or encouraged to protect an adverse political agenda.

  • Waitangi Tribunal shake up
  • Chief Human Rights Commissioner
  • Chair of Electoral commission
  • Also trying to take over civil society orgs:
    • Internet NZ takeover attempt
    • School boards

Flooding the Zone

Far-right governments will make rapid changes in quick succession, creating confusion and stopping people from being able to respond to every issue at hand.

The key motivator for this tactic is overwhelm and dissolution. The thinking becomes: why bother. Far-right politicians will intentionally stack policy and legislative changes together, so that the media flurry and responses are overshadowed by other topics.

  • Making fast track changes whilst the TPB was happening
  • Roger Douglas was once quoted as saying something to the effect of ‘do things so fast that by the time people get upset about one thing, you’ve moved onto the next’
  • In the USA the Trump strategy run by Bannon is called ‘muzzle velocity’