Leaked NZ First Docs

We have obtained a number of leaked documents, raising serious questions about the integrity of New Zealand First (NZ First), one of the nation’s most influential political parties. Obtained through an anonymous cyber breach, these files suggest a troubling pattern of undisclosed corporate donations, legislative favours, and digital manipulation, all orchestrated to secure power and personal gain.

A Web of Influence

Hidden Corporate Cash

Central to the story is a series of alleged donations from Fonterra, New Zealand’s dairy giant, and BHP, an Australian mining conglomerate with interests in the region. Leaked bank records indicate that between June 2024 and May 2025, these companies channelled over NZ$3 million into NZ First’s accounts through a maze of intermediaries. Donations were structured to fall just under the NZ$5,000 disclosure threshold set by New Zealand’s electoral laws, making them nearly impossible to trace without insider access.

For example, records show a NZ$4,995 donation from a small consultancy, Horizon Partners, on July 10, 2024. The next day, an identical amount came from another Horizon-linked entity. A leaked email suggests Horizon received a NZ$15,000 “consulting fee” from BHP days earlier, hinting at a deliberate effort to mask the funds’ origin. Similar transactions involving Fonterra appear, with payments funneled through rural business networks tied to the dairy industry.

Policy for Profit

The documents point to a potential quid pro quo. NZ First reportedly pushed for changes to the Overseas Investment Act, easing restrictions on foreign ownership of agricultural and mining assets, policies that would directly benefit BHP and Fonterra’s export operations. A memo dated August 2024 from an NZ First strategist reads: “Our friends in the sector need these reforms by year-end. Funding is contingent on delivery.” Meanwhile, a BHP internal note references “strategic investments” in New Zealand politics, aligning suspiciously with the timing of these legislative moves.

An anonymous source, claiming to be a former NZ First staffer, alleged: “The party knew exactly who was bankrolling them and what they wanted. It wasn’t about ideology, it was about survival.”

Digital Dirty Tricks

The leaks also reveal NZ First’s alleged collaboration with Topham Guerin, a real digital PR firm known for its work with conservative parties globally. Invoices suggest payments of NZ$600,000 between September 2024 and March 2025 for “online engagement services.” Leaked strategy documents outline the creation of anonymous social media profiles, AI-crafted pro-NZ First content, and targeted attacks on rivals like Labour and the Greens. A surge in such activity on platforms like X during this period aligns with the payment timeline.

Personal Payoffs

Perhaps most damning are indications that NZ First leaders siphoned donation funds for personal use. Bank statements show NZ$75,000 transferred from a party-linked trust to a luxury car dealership in the name of a senior official in February 2025. Another NZ$30,000 went toward a private Queenstown retreat, billed as a “fundraising event” but attended only by party insiders. An email from the trust’s manager notes: “Leadership expenses are covered as agreed, discretion is key.”