‘Death Cult’: Another Senior NZ Official Draws Scrutiny for Open Hostility Towards Government

Professor Joanna Kidman, head of a research centre on extremism, has openly criticised the government’s position on boot camps for youth offenders.

(L-R) Winston Peters, leader of New Zealand First party, New Zealand's incoming Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, and David Seymour, leader of the ACT New Zealand party, attend the signing of an agreement to form a three-party coalition government at Parliament in Wellington on Nov. 24, 2023. Marty Melville/AFP via Getty Images

The director of a publicly funded centre set up to combat extremism in New Zealand has called the government a “death cult” that “hates children” in a post on X (formerly Twitter). She has since made the post private, along with the rest of her account.

Many people, however, were able to take screenshots of the post before it was hidden, with Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour replying and writing, “Some interesting views from a Jacinda Ardern and Labour appointee.”