“Get the Government off the Couch” – Build the Nation
As New Zealand heads towards Election 2026, a new political movement is attempting to reshape the national conversation. Richard McIntosh’s Build The Nation campaign argues that decades of privatisation have hollowed out the state’s capacity to protect and build for its own citizens. Contesting Northland, McIntosh is pitching himself as the architect of a new centre party focused on national resilience, sovereignty and economic self-reliance.
Who Is Richard McIntosh and What Is Build The Nation?
Build The Nation’s Richard McIntosh today called for politicians to get serious about rebuilding essential national capacity.
The Case Against Privatisation in New Zealand
“The era of privatisation, contracting out and selling off has seriously weakened the nation’s ability to defend its interests. Complacency and lack of will from political parties of the left, right and centre has translated into degradation of services essential to the security of the nation. Whether biosecurity incursions, transnational crime or pressure from Communist China, New Zealand now lacks the capacity to respond effectively to external threats.”
“Get the Government off the Couch”: A Call for State-Led Nation Building
Politicians like to sound tough by telling people to get off the couch and get a job. But they are failing to do the most important job of all: keeping the nation safe and secure.
“The fact is we need to get the government off the couch and doing something useful. Doing nothing, or thinking you can pay people to do everything for you, just isn’t healthy. Governments need to start doing something for themselves, like building things and doing things that strengthen the nation and that we can all be proud of. That’s their job,” said Mr McIntosh.
Northland, Election 2026 and the Rise of a New Centre Party
Build the Nation is the start of Mr McIntosh’s journey to create New Zealand’s new centre party. He is contesting the Northland seat in this year’s general election. Build The Nation says the time to rebuild New Zealand has arrived and that the benefits of doing so will flow to citizens in rural and urban areas alike.
“But,” Mr McIntosh added, “first things first, we need to put the era of privatisation firmly behind us.”
Whether Build The Nation becomes a genuine electoral force or another footnote in the long history of third-party ambition will depend on organisation, policy depth and voter appetite for a new centrist alternative. What is clear, however, is that dissatisfaction with privatisation and state retreat remains politically combustible territory as Election 2026 approaches.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Build The Nation?
Build The Nation is a proposed new centre political movement led by Richard McIntosh, advocating for rebuilding national capacity and reversing privatisation policies.
What electorate is Richard McIntosh contesting?
He is contesting the Northland seat in the upcoming 2026 New Zealand general election.
What is the party’s main policy focus?
The movement argues that decades of privatisation have weakened national resilience and that the government must resume direct responsibility for building and maintaining essential infrastructure and services.
Is Build The Nation officially registered?
At the time of writing, the movement represents the early stages of forming a new centre party ahead of Election 2026.
