Hi there, wonderful Webworm member.

I wasn’t going to write about a fringe, conspiracy-theory-ridden political party in New Zealand — because I didn’t really want to give them oxygen.

But then I read a piece in the New York Times about how QAnon adherents are entering into American politics, and I realised “Oh fuck it’s happening here too, isn’t it?!”

What pushed me over the edge was news an international assassin had allegedly snuck into Aotearoa to carry out a hit.

Okay, okay — I hear you…

So let’s start at the beginning - chapter one. Because I thought this story needed some chapters.

Chapter One: New Zealand’s second best guitarist

Before we talk assassins, we have to talk Billy’s.

Billy Te Kahika was, until recently, best known as a blues guitarist here in New Zealand.

He joked that he was “New Zealand’s second best guitarist” (number one would be his dad, Billy TK) on The Beat Goes On, a show worth watching if you want to see how New Zealand does chat shows:

But in the last few months, Billy TK Junior has decided to go into politics, claiming that he “fell into it” because people wanted him to. Mainly those who had been following his rants on Facebook.

The problem is, he appears to have gone done a very deep conspiratorial rabbit hole, and quickly.

Music is no longer his love — it’s getting rid of 5G cell towers and protecting New Zealand from hostile military takeovers.

It also appears he’s watched way too much Plandemic, because COVID-19 is curable with a simple asthma inhaler, apparently:

And on his personal Facebook page, Billy has about 8000 people who agree.

Like all conspiracy-heads, he posts a lot — leaning heavily into ‘COVID-19-was-created-so-the-government-can-control-you’ territory.

You can tell he’s full of shit because he’s even been on celebrity chef Pete Evens’ YouTube show.

Back in June, Billy got some media coverage — but it just sort of fawned along with what he was saying, without digging much deeper:

“Currently, over 70,000 people have viewed Billy's online presentations which began two weeks ago with interest now on his most recent of presentations on Friday.

[…]

A renowned blues guitarist in his own right who has opened for some of the world top blues legends, Billy has a background in military intelligence and is using that knowledge and experience to provide the public with facts and information that he says are all before us in clear sight…

As you may suspect, it appears “facts and information” are not Billy’s strong points.

Chapter Two: Billy forms a party

Now Billy’s started a political party called the New Zealand Public Party (it’s not registered yet).

He’s been touring around the country the last month, getting some reasonable little crowds — because of course a certain element of New Zealand is going to soak this shit up.

From what I’ve observed, the NZ Public Party’s followers all seem on the same page, subscribing to a lot of the batshit insane stuff that’s part of the QAnon movement.

The party is also starting to ask for a lot of donations — and going by the comments on his page, he’s getting them.

And because people often contact me about freaky shit, I’ve had quite a few messages about Billy and his prolific posting:

“I have been watching close family and friends become more insulated in this QAnon stuff since the start of the Covid pandemic basically, and it’s starting to really concern me.

People who have been on the fringe but balanced people are becoming sucked into this stuff, and now Billy Te Kahika seems to be the NZ cult leader of it.

The thing that’s worrying me is these people in my world are actually starting to solo themselves and their families into an internet world and disconnect from anyone who doesn’t agree.

I’m worried.

He’s a Christian missionary and while he may be doing a lot of grassroots charity work in his community, his Main objective is to convert people.

He is the lesser of a successful musical family (Billy TK senior and Mara TK).

He has reached out to those who feel unrepresented or disaffected in NZ politics and society and peddled the peace, love and truth line. He’s then started pushing half-truths and flat out lies.

Now he has positioned himself in an all powerful leadership position (leader of his political party, NZPP) and the saviour of Aotearoa’s freedom.

And to top it off he is now low-key encouraging people to disconnect from their real life social connections, buy arguing that if someone doesn’t believe, they are either part of the problem, or ignorant and not on the level.

My dear friends — supporters of drug reform, women’s rights and ethical living are now anti-abortion and interpreting the Bible scriptures via the Billy te Kahika, and QAnon YouTube and social media pages.

I know I sound like a hysterical mum but it’s a worrying trend.”

They’re right — it is a trend.

The New York Times recently published a piece titled: The QAnon Candidates Are Here. Trump Has Paved Their Way.

A Republican Senate candidate recently declared herself “one of the thousands of digital soldiers” in service of QAnon, a convoluted pro-Trump conspiracy theory about a “deep state” of child-molesting Satanist traitors plotting against the president. A congressional candidate in Colorado who made approving comments about QAnon bested a five-term Republican incumbent in a primary last month.

And then there is Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican who is perhaps the most unabashedly pro-QAnon candidate for Congress and has drawn a positive tweet from President Trump. She recently declared that QAnon was “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take this global cabal of Satan-worshiping pedophiles out.”

So I guess it was inevitable it was going to happen here, too.

Chapter Three: Billy wants friends

Right now, Billy seems to be working quite hard on merging his party with other fringe movements like the Outdoors Party.

The Outdoors Party is probably best known for this headline: “Race Relations Commissioner blasts “appalling” racist abuse towards young woman at Outdoors Party rally.”

Ugh. So gross.

And according to a statement on the NZ Public Party’s Facebook page, Billy TK Junior has also been talking about merging with Vision NZ — the political party lead by Hannah Tamaki.

Hannah Tamaki is of course married to Brian Tamaki, the pair leading up one of New Zealand’s most unhinged Churches, Destiny. I wrote about the lunacy of Destiny church in an earlier newsletter, “Meet My Favourite Batshit New Zealander.”

Anyway, Billy seemed enthusiastic about this merger actually happening after talks soured with the NZ Outdoors Party.

“I received a call from Brian Tamaki saying that he would support the merger as proposed if I could promise I would look after Hannah which of course I said yes.

He invited me to speak at the rally on Sunday to present NZPP to their supporters and softly announce our partnership and to seal the deal…”

Of course he could be making the whole thing up, but lo and behold, Billy TK Junior popped up on stage at one of Destiny Church’s biggest events on July 10th, called “Jubilee”.

Chapter Four: An international assassin books a flight

Now — I’ve watched a lot of Destiny’s services (because I am a sucker for punishment) and I am used to a lot of strange things being said. In the past, that’s included Brian Tamaki saying homosexuals were the cause of the Christchurch earthquake.

But when Billy TK Junior took to the stage I’d argue he took things up a further notch, casually mentioning that an international assassin had been sent to New Zealand to kill him.

These were Billy’s words:

“Yesterday, we had a very very serious threat aimed at me by a potential international assassin that had entered into New Zealand to deal with me in Christchurch.

We had wind that a known assassin had flown into Christchurch at the same time we were having our meetings last night.

This individual, this person of interest, is not a New Zealander.

He flew in from overseas, went straight through quarantine. 

How do we know it? Because we had people following him.

Because I am ex military, I have [...] former SAS special forces soldiers that look after me when I do my events.

And last night I had six of them on me.

Billy doubled down on this on his social media channels, too:

This stuff was pretty unhinged, even for a Destiny Church stage — and according to the NZ Public Party, the idea of the merger was axed shortly after:

[Vision NZ] informed me that they had a last-minute meeting the night before and they had changed their mind and instead wanted me to become Deputy Leader of Vision NZ - which we rapidly declined. This would have destroyed all that NZPP stood for and built. We were astounded at the lack of integrity and forthrightness of a ‘Christian’ organisation.

The idea an international assassin came to New Zealand to assassinate Billy TK Junior is utterly ridiculous, but many of the party’s 13,267 Facebook followers seemed ready to jump on board.

“Who knows”, indeed.

Luckily, Billy says he defeated the international assassin’s attempts at an assassination by… posting about it on Facebook:

So this guy came in [to New Zealand], and once I took it to Facebook I did a live broadcast on it, and he stood down, and went out of Christchurch and gone, so he didn’t get us that day.”

Chapter 5: where to from here?

The New Zealand Public Party (what a fucking terrible boring nothing name) is tiny and they will never get enough votes to get any seats in parliament (if they ever figure out how to register) — but they do have an alarmingly vocal following on social media.

And they believe the QAnon adjacent bullshit Billy seems to have latched onto.

But despite his growing fanbase, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing for Billy.

As well as being chased by an international assassin, he seems to have forgotten to pay for his domain name.

That text roughly translates to:

Whether it is an office worker, a treasure mom in the family, an individual boss, anyone can do it! Just teach, you can earn 500-3000 a day and easily make money at home!

I’ve been texting back and forth a bit with Billy — and he said I could email him some questions.

I did — asking him if he had any specific policies, and if any of them involved a giant underground cabal of pedophiles lead by Hilary Clinton/Bill Gates/George Soros.

He hasn’t replied yet.

Let’s hope the assassin hasn’t got him.

It’s worth noting the NZ Public Party aren’t the only idiotic conspiracy-festering political party in town.

The New Conservative Party is also on the QAnon bandwagon.

Here they are featuring on a conspiracy theorist’s podcast — sponsored by, yes, the New Zealand Public Party. Sigh.

Byron C Clark 🍠 @byroncclark

dispelling the media hatchet job claiming the New Conservative Party is popular with the far-right by having the deputy leader appear on a conspiracy theorist talkback show and laugh at the hosts genocide jokes. Now I'm not public relations expert...

July 13th 2020

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It’s highly irritating viewing — but Byron Clark does a great job over on Twitter keeping an eye on this bullshit. He’s a good follow.

I figure all we can do is be aware of what is going on in this space, so we can spot the warning signs if friends of family start going down this rabbit hole.

From America to New Zealand, we’re all falling for some real bullshit, huh.

Talk to you soon.

Later this week, I’ll be getting talking to conspiracy theory debunker (and creator of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater!) Mick West, about how you can talk to friends & family who have fallen down the rabbit hole. He’s a smart guy, and I’m excited to be talking with him for Webworm members.