Colin King-Ansell (born 1947) is a prominent figure in far-right politics in New Zealand. He has been described as "New Zealand’s most notorious Nazi proponent and Holocaust denier".[1]

Biography

In December 1967 King-Ansell received an 18-month prison sentence for damage to a synagogue, and was released in January 1969.[2] He subsequently described himself as anti-Jew rather than National Socialist at that time, but shortly after founded the National Socialist Party of New Zealand in June 1969.[3] In 2006 he declared that he had renounced Nazism in 1981, but was involved with the neo-nazi Unit 88 after that.[4]

King-Ansell first achieved national New Zealand notice in 1970 following an interview in the Salient magazine and a subsequent appearance on a television current affairs programme.[5] He stood for the National Socialists in the general elections of 1972 and 1975 he contested the Eden electorate and in 1978 he contested the seat of Onehunga.[6] In 1978 he was fined $400 following an appeal against a three-month prison sentence for breaching the Race Relations Act from his involvement in printing and distributing a flyer that was deemed to be antisemitic.[7]

The National Socialist Party of New Zealand disbanded in 1980.[8] By 1978, King-Ansell was leading an organisation called the National Socialist White People's Party, affiliated with George Lincoln Rockwell's American party of the same name. In March 1997 he founded the New Zealand Fascist Union.[9] He is the former chairman of the New Zealand National Front.[10]

In 2006, King-Ansell became president of a local business association, Progress Hawera, but was expelled when his far-right past was exposed.[4] His business was reportedly burgled and set on fire in 2019.[4][11]

References

  1. ^ Hitler ’stuffed up a damn good idea’ The Taranaki Daily News 17 June 2006
  2. ^ Paul Spoonley (1987). The Politics of Nostalgia. Dunmore Press. p. 155. ISBN 9780864690630.
  3. ^ "Salient looks at New Zealand's Far Right: Salient Interview". Salient. 6 May 1970. p. 11.
  4. ^ a b c "Right-wing party 'not recruiting in schools". Stuff. 13 March 2009.
  5. ^ Paul Spoonley (1987). The Politics of Nostalgia. Dunmore Press. p. 155. ISBN 9780864690630.
  6. ^ Norton, Clifford (1988). New Zealand Parliamentary Election Results 1946-1987: Occasional Publications No 1, Department of Political Science. Victoria University of Wellington. pp. 221, 296. ISBN 0-475-11200-8.
  7. ^ Bill Hodge (1980). "CIVIL LIBERTIES IN NEW ZEALAND: DEFENDING OUR ENEMIES" (PDF). Otago Law Review. 4 (4): 464.
  8. ^ Greg Newbold (3 June 2016). Crime, Law and Justice in New Zealand. Routledge. p. 195. ISBN 9781317275619.
  9. ^ "Ku Klux Kiwis". Australia/Israel Review. 17 February 1998. Archived from the original on 20 June 2005.
  10. ^ "One-time National Front chairman's business was burgled before being hit by fire". Stuff. 2 October 2019.
  11. ^ "Former right-wing leader fears past actions might be linked to burglary and fire at his Hāwera business". Stuff. 8 October 2019.
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