Young Labour is calling on the New Zealand Government to take immediate action to ban Candace Owens from entering Aotearoa New Zealand. Owens intends to visit Aotearoa as part of a speaking tour in November 2024.

Aotearoa is a nation built on values of love, kindness, and respect. We take pride in our multicultural identity, honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi and embracing people from all backgrounds. This commitment to inclusion is what defines us as a society, yet it also makes us a target for those who seek to undermine our unity.

Candace Owens represents a divisive force that threatens these principles. Her public statements, which include Holocaust denial and inflammatory remarks referring to the LGBTQ+ community as a “sexual plague,” align her with other controversial figures like Lauren Southern and Posie Parker. Notably, Owens was cited by the March 15 terrorist as a key influence in his manifesto, underscoring the potential dangers of her rhetoric. Previous visits by such individuals have resulted in increased tensions, the spread of hate speech, and a climate of fear among minority communities in Aotearoa.

We strongly urge the Coalition Government to take immediate action to prevent Candace Owens from entering our country, sending a clear message that Aotearoa will not be a platform for hate.