Focus NZ

{{Infobox political party

| name = Focus New Zealand

| logo = Focus NZ logo.png

| logo_size = 200px

| president = Les King

| founded = 2012

| dissolved = 2016

| headquarters = Northland, New Zealand

| ideology = Populism
Agrarianism
Economic nationalism

| country = New Zealand

| state = New Zealand

}}

Focus NZ was a political party in New Zealand. Founded as "NZ Rural", the party was based in Northland and represented the interests of business owners, producers and provincial communities.{{cite web |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/northland/northern-news/7517432/New-party-for-all-rural-people |title=New party for 'all rural people' |publisher=Stuff |date=2012-08-22 |access-date=2012-08-23}} Areas of concern include the exchange rate and empowerment of communities.{{cite web |url=http://www.northernadvocate.co.nz/news/new-political-party-to-focus-on-rural-needs/1501073/ |title=New political party to focus on rural needs |author=Katie Cullen Montgomerie |publisher=Northern Advocate |date=2012-08-11 |access-date=2012-08-23}}{{cite web |url=http://straightfurrow.farmonline.co.nz/news/nationalrural/agribusiness-and-general/general/new-rural-party-in-the-wind/2614232.aspx?storypage=0 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130224174304/http://straightfurrow.farmonline.co.nz/news/nationalrural/agribusiness-and-general/general/new-rural-party-in-the-wind/2614232.aspx?storypage=0 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-02-24 |title=New rural party in the wind |publisher=Straight Furrow |date=2012-07-17 |access-date=2012-08-23 }}

History

On 22 August 2012 the party applied to register a logo with the Electoral Commission.{{cite web |url=http://www.elections.org.nz/study/news/application-to-register-political-party-logo-22082012.html |title=Application to register political party logo |publisher=New Zealand Electoral Commission |date=2012-08-22 |access-date=2012-08-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023155342/http://www.elections.org.nz/study/news/application-to-register-political-party-logo-22082012.html |archive-date=23 October 2012 |url-status=dead }} The logo was approved on 24 September 2012.{{cite web |url=http://www.elections.org.nz/study/news/registration-of-nz-rural-party-logo-24092012.html |title=Registration of NZ Rural party logo |publisher=New Zealand Electoral Commission |date=2012-09-24 |access-date=2012-09-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114023441/http://www.elections.org.nz/study/news/registration-of-nz-rural-party-logo-24092012.html |archive-date=14 November 2012 |url-status=dead }}

File:NZ Rural Party Logo.jpg

The party held its first meeting on 24 November 2012,{{cite web |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10847597 |title=New NZ Rural political party formed |publisher=Northern Advocate |date=2012-11-15 |access-date=2012-11-15}} during which it decided to change its name to "Focus New Zealand" in order to reach out to urban supporters.{{cite web |url=http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/rural/121763/party-representing-producers-and-exporters-formed |title=Party representing producers and exporters formed |publisher=Radio New Zealand |date=2012-11-26 |access-date=2012-11-27}}{{cite web |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/northland/bay-chronicle/8013023/Party-changes-focus |title=Party changes focus |publisher=Stuff |date=2012-11-29}}

The Party stood candidates in the 2013 local body elections in the Far North District Council and Whangarei District Council

The party was registered on 29 January 2014.{{cite web |url=http://www.elections.org.nz/news-media/registration-focus-new-zealand-party-and-logo |title=Registration of Focus New Zealand Party and Logo |publisher=Electoral Commission |date=2014-01-29 |access-date=2014-01-29}} The logo of the party was changed at the same time.

The party contested the 2014 general election. It received 639 votes, making it the least successful of the fifteen registered parties in that election.{{Cite web|url=http://www.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2014/partystatus.html|title=Official Count Results -- Overall Status|publisher=Electoral Commission|access-date=8 January 2017}}

On 22 February 2016 the party's registration was cancelled at its own request.{{cite web |url=http://www.elections.org.nz/news-media/amendments-register-political-parties-cancellation-focus-new-zealand |title=Amendments to the Register of Political Parties — Cancellation of Focus New Zealand |publisher=New Zealand Electoral Commission |date=22 February 2016 |access-date=29 February 2016}}

Electoral results

class=wikitable ! Election ! # of candidates nominated (electorate/list) ! # of seats won ! # of party votes ! % of popular vote
2014 \| {{center\| 2/8}} \| {{center\| {{Composition bar\|0\|121\|hex=Focus NZ}}}} \| {{center\| 639}} \| {{center\| 0.03%}}

class=wikitable

! Election

! # of candidates nominated (electorate/list)

! # of seats won

! # of party votes

! % of popular vote

2014

| {{center| 2/8}}

| {{center| {{Composition bar|0|121|hex=Focus NZ}}}}

| {{center| 639}}

| {{center| 0.03%}}

References

External links

[http://www.focusnz.org.nz/ Official website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130504115107/http://www.focusnz.org.nz/ |date=4 May 2013 }}

Category:2012 establishments in New Zealand

Category:Agrarian parties in New Zealand