We’re standing up for Kiwi independence by pushing for a citizens-initiated referendum to decide whether New Zealand should remain in the World Health Organization (WHO). This is about protecting our sovereignty and making health decisions that are right for us.
It’s your voice in action. By gathering enough public support, we can force Parliament to debate and take action on this issue, giving everyday New Zealanders a say in our future.
We need 400,000 "wet ink" signatures by 25 November 2025 to get this in front of Parliament. Achieving this will ensure the referendum is taken seriously and the conversation about reclaiming our independence happens at the highest level. This is your chance to make a real difference!
Download the form from the "Sign the Referendum" button. Print it off and get friends and family to sign and return to us.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has faced criticism for its handling of major health crises, including allegations of a lack of transparency, conflicts of interest, and prioritising political considerations over scientific evidence. Concerns have also been raised about its “one-size-fits-all” approach, which may not always align with New Zealand’s unique needs and priorities. By exiting the WHO, New Zealand can:
Prioritise Kiwis' Health: Make decisions tailored to the health challenges and demographics specific to New Zealand, rather than adhering to policies designed for a global context.
Regain Decision-Making Independence: Ensure that public health policies are determined by New Zealanders for New Zealanders, without being influenced by international agendas or external donors with vested interests.
Promote Transparency and Accountability: Create a system that creates openness and accountability, ensuring decisions are based on evidence and what is best for New Zealand.
Exiting the WHO doesn’t mean abandoning global health collaboration. Instead, it provides an opportunity to establish partnerships and initiatives that better reflect New Zealand’s values and health priorities.
Exiting the WHO means New Zealand would no longer be bound by its policies, recommendations, or agreements, such as the International Health Regulations. This allows New Zealand to independently develop and implement health strategies that better suit its population’s needs.
Here’s what it could look like in practice:
Independent Pandemic Preparedness: New Zealand would take full control of its pandemic planning and responses, ensuring that measures reflect domestic realities rather than global directives.
Customised Public Health Policies: Health initiatives could be designed to address New Zealand’s specific challenges, such as addressing non-communicable diseases like cancer and heart disease, which are leading causes of death.
Funding Allocation: Resources could be redirected toward locally driven health programmes, research, and infrastructure, rather than contributing to an international organisation with competing priorities.
While this is a significant decision, it’s ultimately about putting Kiwis at the centre of every health policy decision and ensuring that New Zealand has the flexibility to respond effectively to its own unique challenges.
No, leaving the WHO does not mean isolating ourselves from the world. Many countries operate independently of the WHO’s framework while still maintaining strong global partnerships. Exiting the WHO is about ensuring that New Zealand’s sovereignty and decision-making are not compromised by external pressures, particularly in areas where policies might conflict with our national interests or values.
New Zealand already has public health infrastructure and the ability to coordinate directly with other countries and organisations. Exiting the WHO would free us to choose partnerships and strategies that best suit our needs, without relying on a one-size-fits-all approach. We would also retain access to global scientific research, which isn’t exclusive to the WHO.
New Zealand currently contributes millions to the WHO annually. By exiting, those funds could be redirected toward strengthening our healthcare system and investing in independent health initiatives. We would also avoid future costs tied to WHO-mandated programmes that may not align with New Zealand’s priorities.
There are rules around signing a referendum petition. To sign the referendum petition, you must:
1) be registered on the New Zealand electoral roll; and
2) provide your full name and address alongside your “wet ink” signature.
All signatures must be on the form which has been approved by Parliament. Other signatures or signing online will not count towards the required number.
Download the signature form under the Resource Tab and start collecting signatures. Please send the original signed form back to:
KM Law Limited
738 Cameron Road, Tauranga 3112 or PO Box 9457, Greerton, Tauranga, 3142
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Under the referendum rules we cannot spend more than $50,000 promoting and gathering signatures for the referendum petition. This makes it difficult to get the word out there.
You can help by signing up to be a volunteer, downloading the approved form and collecting friends and family signatures, taking an advertisement in your local paper, connecting us with influencers or well know people that wish to help spread the word etc.
If you wish to advertise the petition you are welcome to do so. Please note that the rules prevent us from providing you with material for any such advertisement. However, we are more than happy to discuss any advertising with you.
Your donations will help us spread the word. Every donation is valuable given we must collect approximately 400,000 signatures by 24 November 2025. We will publish the total amount of donations received to be transparent.
