The Board of The Opportunities Party has decided to request that the Electoral Commission cancel TOP's registration as a political party.

TOP was formed in late 2016 to contest the 2017 election in which it polled at 2.4 per cent. Since the election the Board has considered whether it would invest time and money in preparing the Party to contest 2020 and after due consideration has decided against it.

'I'm proud of the policy manifesto we developed and have no doubt it was by far the strongest on offer to improve New Zealanders' incomes, business productivity, social fairness and environmental sustainability,” says Party founder Dr Gareth Morgan.

'The legacy of that manifesto remains and to be frank was all that personally ever interested me.

'The voting public demonstrated that best practice, evidence-informed policy is not of significant concern when deciding elections.

"When 20 per cent of the vote moves in 48 hours simply on the back of a change of leader, with no improvement at all in policy being offered, what makes the New Zealand voter tick is clear.

'TOP was formed to improve the policy options on offer,” says Gareth.

'Too few voters supported our policies. That's reality and we accept that. With no inclination to compromise policy for political ambition, or to de-emphasise best practice policy for the promotion of whatever else attracts people's votes, it's pretty obvious what the appropriate course of action for this party should be.”

'I'd like to thank all those involved with TOP. We had fun and we challenged people and for the more than 60,000 people really interested in best practice policy, we appealed. They have reason to be proud.”

Buddy Mikaere made the decision to run as a List Candidate for The Opportunities Party in the 2017 General Election. He was informed of the Board's decision by phone call a few hours ahead of the public announcement.

'Obviously I was very disappointed to get that phone call,” says Buddy.

'From what I can see, this is a fresh approach to politics, with a research-based evidential approach to policy making, which is something that we're not seeing.

"And we didn't see it with the previous nine years of National Government. And we're currently seeing the shambles from the Labour Coalition.

'It is disappointing, but I can understand it. These things also take a personal toll on people, so you've got to be fairly resilient. Not to mention that it also costs a lot of time and resources to start up a new political movement. Sad day really.

'I have no doubt that if we had kept on, we would have made a much improved showing next time around, but that's how it goes.”

During the 2017 election campaign, he recalled his epiphany moment in his candidate profile.

'It came after being with the people at our Tauranga marae who were feeding the local homeless people, giving them hot showers and washing their clothes,” says Buddy.

'I got home to question time on Parliamentary TV and after watching the slagging off and meaningless rhetoric that masquerades as government I thought to myself 'we can do better than this.

'TOP's fresh policy ideas and an approach that pays no attention to outdated concepts like the political left or right but rather keeping a focus on what is good for the country, appealed to me immensely.

'If elected I wanted to concentrate on fixing the inequalities that so blight the lives of decent Kiwis many of whom are struggling hard to make ends meet, pay the rent, feed, clothe and house their families, educate and keep them healthy. I am interested in protecting and enhancing our environment and desperately keen to reform our prison system.”

On the TOP website, Gareth Morgan reflected further on his experience with the party.

'My takeaway from the political experience has been that as an electorate we are so fat, content and complacent that really we just want politicians that are maintenance managers, nothing aspirational that disturbs that complacency or challenges that two shades of grey the Establishment parties offer,” writes Gareth.

Buddy Mikaere, who was a List Candidate for The Opportunities Party in the 2017 General Election.

'After the 2017 election the decision we had to make was whether we could be bothered plugging away as career politicians trying to educate more of the public as to why the offering from Establishment parties will always be underwhelming – incremental at best, and more likely so inadequate that inequality continues to widen against a backdrop of poor business productivity and investment.

'After due deliberation our answer is 'Naah, there are too many other fun opportunities on offer and time waits for nobody. The policy manifesto is there, that's our legacy, time to move on”.

'So TOP is no more and I certainly do thank all those involved who came along on the last 12 months of what has really been a decade long journey, in producing that manifesto of best practice policy.

"We might hope Establishment parties pick up the essence of the reforms but I certainly won't hold my breath. We had fun and we challenged people and for the more than 60,000 voters really interested in best practice policy, we appealed. They too have reason to be proud.”