The Power Behind NZ’s Policy Push
Understanding Organised American Right-Wing Influence in NZ.
By Dr Harpreet Singh | drhsinghnz.substack.com | FB: @DrHSinghNZ
To defend democracy, you must first map the networks that seek to reshape it, because influence rarely marches in daylight. - Dr Harpreet Singh
Author’s note: As policies constantly shift regarding Māori rights, education, unions, pay equity, and more, it’s critical that we pause and ask: who is driving these changes? Only by understanding the key players involved can we determine the best way to respond and advocate for what is right. The article centres on the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union and The Campaign Company.
This article offers a brief example of how Atlas Network’s foreign influence operates within New Zealand. The aim is to demonstrate that the right-wing movement in the country is neither local nor organic, but rather the product of an imported ideology backed by a highly resourced and globally coordinated machine. This machinery has already proven its effectiveness in other countries. References have been included to support the analysis presented.
The Global Blueprint
The Atlas Network is not a household name in New Zealand, but its influence is evident in the country’s political discourse. Founded in 1981 by British businessman Antony Fisher, Atlas is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, and coordinates more than 580 free-market think tanks across 100 countries. Its mission is clear: advance libertarian principles of limited government, deregulation, and individual property rights through a decentralised network of local actors. Atlas provides training, grants, and strategic resources to its affiliates, enabling them to shape policy and public opinion without appearing as foreign lobbyists (Atlas Network, 2024; PSA Journal, 2024).
The New Zealand Nodes
Two Atlas affiliates dominate the local landscape: the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union (NZTU), a grassroots campaign group opposing government spending and regulation, and the New Zealand Initiative (NZI), a policy think tank promoting free-market reforms and privatisation. Both organisations have received Atlas training and strategic support, though NZI states it does not receive direct operational funding beyond minor assistance. NZI works top-down, shaping high-level policy through research and intellectual framing, while NZTU operates bottom-up, mobilising public pressure via billboards, digital campaigns, and media stunts (Atlas Network, 2024; RNZ, 2023).
The Campaign Company’s Role
The Campaign Company (TCC) is a boutique Auckland-based consultancy founded in 2021 by Jordan Williams, who is also Executive Director of NZTU and co-founder of the Free Speech Union (Companies Office NZ, 2025). This dual role places Williams at the intersection of Atlas-linked policy advocacy and digital campaign execution. While TCC itself is not listed as an Atlas partner, its operational ecosystem overlaps heavily with Atlas affiliates.
TCC runs digital-first campaigns for groups such as Hobson’s Pledge and the Sensible Sentencing Trust, using tools like NationBuilder for CRM and microtargeting (Hobson’s Pledge, 2024). These campaigns amplify narratives aligned with Atlas ideology: opposition to co-governance, deregulation, and “equal rights” framed against Treaty-based protections. RNZ investigations revealed that Hobson’s Pledge’s We Belong Aotearoa campaign, presented as a grassroots unity movement, was in fact orchestrated by TCC, echoing Atlas-style astroturfing tactics (RNZ, 2023).
The Structural Chain
The influence flows as follows: Atlas Network to NZTU as an Atlas affiliate, then to Jordan Williams, then to The Campaign Company, and finally to Hobson’s Pledge and other advocacy clients. Atlas provides ideological framing and resources globally. NZTU localises that agenda in New Zealand policy debates. Williams bridges the gap between think-tank advocacy and digital execution, using The Campaign Company to deploy targeted campaigns that shape voter sentiment and media narratives (Atlas Network, 2024; RNZ, 2023).
Political Connections
Several current ministers have ties to Atlas-linked organisations. David Seymour (ACT) completed Atlas’s Think Tank MBA training and worked for an Atlas-aligned Canadian think tank. Nicola Willis (Finance) served on the board of the New Zealand Initiative. Chris Bishop (Housing) is the son of NZTU’s founding chair and previously worked as a tobacco lobbyist. Casey Costello (NZ First, Associate Health) was a former NZTU chair and board member. Additionally, former Labour Minister Stuart Nash recently joined the NZTU board, highlighting the group’s reach (RNZ, 2023; Pundit, 2024; Kiwiblog, 2025).
Why It Matters
Atlas Network’s strategy is subtle but powerful. It does not lobby directly; it builds capacity in local actors who appear independent. By embedding its principles in think tanks and advocacy groups, Atlas shifts the policy climate without triggering foreign interference alarms. In New Zealand, this manifests as campaigns against co-governance, education, climate regulation, and public service protections, issues that mirror Atlas priorities worldwide (Atlas Network, 2024; PSA Journal, 2024).
The Risks
Critics warn that this structure erodes transparency. Ministers and MPs have documented ties to Atlas-linked organisations, yet these connections rarely appear in official disclosures. The result is the creation of opaque influence channels, through which global libertarian agendas filter into local politics via a web of think tanks, advocacy groups, and digital agencies like TCC (RNZ, 2023; ABC News, 2024).
References
ABC News. (2024, March 15). Atlas Network’s global influence on libertarian policy. Retrieved from https://abc.net.au/news
Atlas Network. (2024). About Atlas Network. Retrieved from https://www.atlasnetwork.org
Companies Office NZ. (2025). The Campaign Company Limited – Company details. Retrieved from https://companies-register.companiesoffice.govt.nz
Hobson’s Pledge. (2024). Website terms and NationBuilder platform details. Retrieved from https://hobsonspledge.nz
PSA Journal. (2024). Atlas Network and the rise of global libertarian advocacy. Retrieved from https://psajournal.org
RNZ. (2023, November 12). Investigation into Hobson’s Pledge and digital campaigns. Retrieved from https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/in-depth
RNZ. (2025, April 7). Billboards attacking Green MPs appear in Wellington and Auckland. Retrieved from https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/557433
The Post. (2025, April 8). Sensible Sentencing Trust billboard campaign and The Campaign Company involvement. Retrieved from https://www.thepost.co.nz
Pundit. (2024). Stuart Nash joins Taxpayers’ Union board. Retrieved from https://pundit.co.nz
Kiwiblog. (2025). Casey Costello and NZTU connections. Retrieved from https://kiwiblog.co.nz
Beehive.govt.nz. (2025). Ministerial biographies. Retrieved from https://beehive.govt.nz
DPMC. (2025). Cabinet and ministerial list. Retrieved from https://dpmc.govt.nz