Elliot Ikilei

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search
Elliot Ikilei
Elliot Ikilei.png
3rd Leader of New Conservative
Assumed office
19 November 2020
Preceded by Leighton Baker
2nd Deputy Leader of New Conservative
In office
24 January 2017 – 19 November 2020
Leader Leighton Baker
Preceded by Christine Rankin
Succeeded by Victoria O'Brien
Personal details
Born (1977-06-25) June 25, 1977 (age 46)[1]
Political party New Conservative
Spouse(s) Eona Ikilei
Children
  • Jeslyn Ikilei
  • Eli Ikilei

Elliot Ikilei is a New Zealand politician who has served as leader of the New Conservative Party since 19 November 2020.[2][3]

Personal life and professional career

Elliot Ikilei was born on 25 June 1977[4] and grew up in the Auckland suburbs of Point England, Glen Innes, and Mount Wellington. He spent his teenage years in Hamilton.[5] According to Ikilei, he struggled with drug and alcohol addiction during his youth before undergoing a "born again" experience and converting to Christianity at the age of 25.[6]

Ikilei has worked as a youth worker in Auckland's Flat Bush and Botany Downs suburbs.[6] Ikilei currently lives in Papakura in South Auckland.[5][7] He is married to Eona,[5] a Singaporean, and the couple have two children named Jeslyn and Eli.[6]

Political activity

2017 general election

During the lead-up to the 2017 general election, Elliott Ikilei had been designated as the Conservative candidate for a cross-party debate in March 2017 organised by the University of Auckland's Debating Society. However, the Conservatives were uninvited when the society decided to limit participants to parties that were represented in the New Zealand Parliament.[8] At a subsequent debate held at the University of Auckland, Ikilei advocated a pro-life stance on abortion and supported citizen-initiated referendums.[5]

In June 2017, Ikilei was appointed as the Conservative Party's deputy leader and nominated as the party's candidate for the Manurewa electorate.[9] In the 2017 election, the Manurewa seat was won by Labour Party Member of Parliament Louisa Wall; Ikilei won only 342 votes.[10] The Conservatives overall performed poorly during the election, winning only 0.2% of the party vote (6,253 votes) and did not win a seat in Parliament.[11]

Post-2017 election

After the Conservatives rebranded themselves as the New Conservatives,[12] Ikilei defended controversial far-right Canadians Lauren Southern and Stefan Molyneux, who had been denied public speaking venues during their tour of Auckland in July 2018.[13][14] In August 2018, Ikilei seconded former National and ACT parties leader Don Brash during a debate on free speech and "political correctness" at the University of Auckland, which attracted the attention of protesters.[15][16]

In October 2018, Ikilei was designated as the party's candidate for the scheduled Botany by-election,[17] triggered by Jami-Lee Ross' resignation from the National Party. However, the by-election did not go ahead since Ross opted to remain in Parliament as an independent candidate.[18]

2020 general election

In April 2020, the party announced Ikilei as their candidate for the new electorate of Takanini (at the time proposed to be called "Flat Bush") that had been created following population changes.[19][20] He has campaigned on increasing support for neighbourhood police teams in Takanini and improving local road infrastructure.[21]

During the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand, Ikilei attended an anti-lockdown "liberty march" in Auckland's Queen Street, which attracted hundreds of demonstrators including Advance New Zealand party co-leader Jami-Lee Ross.[22]

At the 2020 New Zealand general election held on 17 October, Ikilei came fourth place (939 votes) in Takinini based on preliminary results, with the electorate being won by the Labour's candidate Neru Leavasa.[23] Based on preliminary results, the New Conservatives secured 1.5% of the popular vote (42,615 votes), below the five percent threshold needed to enter Parliament.[24] Following the election results, Ikilei said that the party would be contest the next general election scheduled for 2023. Ikilei attributed insufficient media coverage of minor parties and shortcomings in the New Conservative's campaign messaging, including their Māori language policies, as factors contributing to their failure to enter Parliament.[25]

In November 2020, the party's board voted for Ikelei to be its leader, replacing Leighton Baker. Ikilei praised his predecessor's devotion to the party and conservative politics. While he indicated that there wouldn't be significant changes to the party's policy, he said that he would be taking a "more aggressive and confrontational approach to presentation style."[2][3]

Political views

Ikilei is socially conservative, taking a traditional stance on abortion, the family, law and order, welfare and transgender issues.[5][12] In April 2019, Ikilei was temporarily suspended from Twitter for tweeting "'Trans women' are men with dysphoria/disorder, to be treated with compassion and tolerance"; a remark which many regarded as transphobic.[12][26] Ikilei has defended controversial Australian rugby player Israel Folau's opposition to homosexuality.[16]

Ikilei has described free speech as a cornerstone of Western culture. He has also advocated tough on crime policies and opposed so-called "race-based" policies including Māori seats.[27] In August 2019, Ikilei welcomed a deal between the Māori tribe Te Kawerau ā Maki and Fletcher Building over the Ihumātao land dispute.[28] He has also criticised China's Hong Kong national security law.[29]

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ The Stuff article "Getting Candid with... Elliot Ikilei" identifies him as being 40 years old in 2017.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

Retrieved from "https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=Elliot_Ikilei&oldid=726176209"