Maori Party try to cancel Xero

This is beyond pathetic. To try and instigate a boycott of a company, because an individual involved with that company made a donation to a political party you disagree with. This sort of US-style cancel culture will destroy New Zealand politics.

First of all Xero itself has not donated to anyone. It is one of our most globally successful companies that have taken on the world and dominated. It has created jobs for thousands of New Zealanders and generated immense tax revenue for the Government. It also has been a godsend for many small businesses like myself. It has made running the company accounts so easy. To try any boycott an iconic New Zealand company because of a personal donation of one individual associated with it, is nasty. It is designed to intimidate people.

The smear that Drury’s donation to ACT is about white supremacy is malicious. First of all Drury himself is Maori (Ngai Tahu through his father) and the ACT leader is Maori (Ngapuhi through his mother). But even if they were not, it is ludicrous to smear people as white supremacists because they don’t agree with the Maori Party’s stated desire to change New Zealand from being a democracy.

But the attack on Drury is even more despicable considering his other donations. In December 2020, he donated $1 million to a local iwi’s charity to clean up Lake Hayes. Yep ten times what he donated to ACT.

Drury also personally funded a 5 year full boarding scholarship to Woodford House for Ngai Tahu families. That would be around $125,000 per student. And yet this is the guy the Maori Party smear as a white supremacist or supporting white supremacy. They should be ashamed.