With elections underway, many candidates are utilising social media to engage with voters, but New Zealand candidate Bryce Park (Ngāti Toa Rangatira) is using humour and his body to engage with voters.
“For me, I want to make sure people see my personality; they see I’m approachable, they see I am not phased by these sorts of things. I’m a positive person; you can achieve a lot more through positivity,” he said.
“It’s been questionable at times, but I think my humour can be dry, but I think I’m quite imaginative, but we’ll see how we go.”
According to Park, his videos have connected him with voters from the other side of the aisle.
“I’ve actually had traditional Labour voters and traditional Te Pāti Māori voters actually leave a comment and say ‘hey, I don’t agree with your party policies, but you seem like a great guy that I can approach and talk to ’, and that’s what I really want to be; I really want to be the candidate that people can talk to from our community.”
Park’s videos bring similar humour to what his deputy leader Shane Jones did during the 2023 general elections.
One notable video Jones did was a parody of the song ‘In da club’ by 50 Cent, but replacing the lyrics “Go, shawty, it’s your birthday” to “Go, Shane Jones, it’s my party”.
Park said he was keen to collab with the deputy leader if he got the chance.
“One hundred per cent I’d collab, but he’s based up north. But if he’s ever down here, I’d definitely talk to him about it, cause I think our sense of humour could click quite well.”
‘New Zealand Thirst Traps’
In addition to his comedic videos, Park has also dabbled in showing off his shirtless body while talking politics and doing pull-ups, labelling them as “New Zealand Thirst Traps”.
Just as Green Party candidate Tania Waikato’s “Bikini Baddies and Buff Bros” enrol to vote campaign received criticism from NZ First deputy leader Shane Jones for being “crass”, saying “mature, earlier Green leaders” would have never tolerated this sort of campaign.
But according to Park, his campaign is being well received by the higher-ups in his party.
“They’re pretty ecstatic; I think the coverage I’m getting, I’m getting hundreds of thousands of people seeing my content, especially after my hoardings but also the thirst traps.
“There have been a lot of people who’ve given support and applauding the different approach I am taking because it works.”
Te Ao Māori News reached out to Waikato for comment, but she declined.
Whakapapa and Politics
Park is of Ngāti Toa Rangatira descent through his kuia, who he said was a great influence in his life, taking her with him everywhere he goes.
“She brought into my life, upholding kaitiakitanga and making sure I wore my whakapapa with pride during my high school and during my primary school education. It was often, ‘he’s just that pasty white kid ’, and so, I always fought for being proud of my whakapapa.”
The financial analyst joined politics for youth representation in parliament and for more “integrity and accountability”.
“What I find so frustrating is that we watch politicians bicker between each other and not actually focus on the country.
“I think a lot of them have forgotten they are meant to be a representative of the people. Simple as that. And that requires listening.
“As my kuia would say, you learn a lot more Brycey when you listen and open your taringa.”
Park is ranked 37th on the party’s list and is the candidate standing for Wigram in Ōtautahi.
Due to his ranking on the list and recent polls, he will need to win his electorate to get into Parliament, which has been Labour MP Megan Woods’ territory since 2011.
Additional reporting by Hora-Kairangi Nicholas, Tahu News.
