“The Dirty Game: Exposing Independent Together's Culture War Arsenal” - 11 July 2025

Kia ora whānau - greetings to all who whakapapa to this whenua and those who call Aotearoa home.

Our kaitiaki duty compels us to expose the weaponised misinformation masquerading as political opposition research.

An Independent Together-linked group has commissioned a vile dossier targeting Labour-aligned candidates in Wellington's upcoming local elections. This toxic document reveals the true nature of those who claim to represent "ordinary Wellingtonians" while deploying the most insidious tools of division and hate.

https://www.thepost.co.nz/politics/360747106/campaign-groups-dossier-labour-candidates-labelled-dirty-tactics

Independent Together operates as the electoral wing of Better Wellington, a right-wing lobbying group whose leadership exposes the rotten foundations of this supposed "grassroots" movement. The key players in this network reveal a disturbing pattern of conspiracy theories, far-right connections, and corporate manipulation.

The Architects of Division

Alistair Boyce: The Publican's Poison

Founding member Alistair Boyce, best known as the long-time publican of the Backbencher pub, operates as Better Wellington's chief spokesperson. This man has defended controversial anti-council leaflets that postal workers refused to deliver due to their harmful misinformation. When challenged about targeting Muslim communities with misleading claims about calls to prayer, Boyce showed his true colours by stating councils shouldn't be involved in "religious activities" while pushing divisive narratives that postal workers themselves rejected as dangerous propaganda.

Paul Heffernan: The Snake Oil Salesman

Paul Heffernan, who registered Better Wellington's website and authorises their propaganda, brings a background in exploitation through his company "MindShift". This operation marketed itself as "a unique, powerful and transformational program designed to remove anxiety and depression within 2-3 days" for prices ranging from $1,495 to $5,995. The predatory nature of this business model - targeting vulnerable people struggling with mental health issues - reveals the exploitative mindset that drives Better Wellington's political operations.

Gary Moller: The Conspiracy Theorist

Gary Moller, listed as a founding supporter of Better Wellington, was present at the parliamentary protests and has promoted conspiracy theories surrounding Covid-19. His involvement connects Independent Together to the far-right movements that disrupted Wellington during the pandemic protests, demonstrating the radical underbelly of this supposedly "moderate" political group.

The Dirty Research Network

The most damning revelation centres on Rhys Williams, former NZ First member and anti-trans campaigner, who was hired to conduct "opposition research" but went rogue. Williams operates primarily through the social media handle @2ESTEKA, spreading misogynistic commentary and attacks on politicians. This is the same individual behind smear campaigns targeting Green MP Benjamin Doyle and has connections to anti-transgender events featuring conspiracy theorists and far-right activists.

The Toxic Dossier: Cultural Warfare Disguised as Research

The document produced reveals the true agenda of Independent Together and their backers. It labels mask-wearers as "Covidians," attacks candidates' partners, and paints pro-Māori views as extremist. The dossier specifically targets:

• Candidates who wear masks, dismissing Covid safety as ideological extremism
• Partners and family members who show solidarity with Palestine
• Public transport advocacy as "climate change ideology"
• Any candidate who identifies as a refugee or ethnic minority
• Support for accessible infrastructure as suspicious activism
• One Māori candidate described as "brazenly and belligerently pro-Māori" for supporting Indigenous rights

This isn't political research - it's weaponised racism and cultural warfare designed to intimidate tangata whenua and marginalised communities from participating in democracy.

The Neoliberal Property Empire

The funding behind this operation reveals another layer of manipulation. Property mogul Mark Dunajtschik has publicly donated over $20,000 to Independent Together, while benefiting from a property portfolio worth hundreds of millions. Dunajtschik owns over 40 commercial properties in Wellington, including major developments that have shaped the city's landscape through private profit.

This represents the classic neoliberal strategy of weaponising "grassroots" movements to protect elite interests while attacking genuine community organising that challenges property speculation and corporate capture of local government.

The Pattern of Corporate Capture

Independent Together's model follows the tobacco industry playbook of creating front groups to lobby against public health policies while claiming to represent ordinary people. The connections between Better Wellington's founders and exploitative business practices, conspiracy theories, and far-right networks expose how corporate interests manufacture fake grassroots movements to serve their agenda.

Their zero rates policy represents classic neoliberal austerity, proposing to gut public services and infrastructure investment while protecting property values for wealthy developers. This isn't fiscal responsibility - it's wealth extraction disguised as common sense.

The Māori Perspective: Recognising Colonial Tactics

From a tangata whenua perspective, these tactics echo centuries of colonial strategies designed to undermine Indigenous political participation and maintain Pākehā economic dominance. The targeting of pro-Māori candidates as "extremist" for supporting Indigenous rights represents the same divide-and-conquer mentality that has characterised colonisation since 1840.

The dossier's attack on candidates who support te reo Māori, display tino rangatiratanga flags, or advocate for Treaty obligations reveals the white supremacist foundation of Independent Together's political project. This isn't about rates or infrastructure - it's about maintaining Pākehā political control through intimidation and cultural warfare.

The Broader Implications

This scandal exposes how far-right networks, corporate interests, and neoliberal ideologues work together to undermine democratic participation while claiming to represent "ordinary people." The connections between Independent Together, conspiracy theorists, anti-trans campaigners, and property speculators reveal a coordinated effort to capture local government for elite interests.

The weaponisation of opposition research to target refugees, ethnic minorities, and Indigenous rights advocates represents a dangerous escalation of political violence designed to exclude marginalised communities from democratic participation.

The Path Forward

Our communities must recognise these tactics for what they are: coordinated attacks on democracy itself. The Independent Together network represents the intersection of corporate capture, white supremacist ideology, and neoliberal austerity politics wrapped in the false flag of grassroots organising.

We cannot allow the politics of division and exclusion to masquerade as fiscal responsibility or community representation. The toxic dossier and the network behind it expose the true agenda of those who would trade our collective wellbeing for private profit and political power.

Wellington deserves better than dirty politics funded by property speculation and promoted through hate-filled research targeting our most vulnerable community members.

Mauri ora to all who stand against this corruption of our democratic values.

For whānau who find value in this mahi exposing these harmful networks, please consider a koha if you have capacity: HTDM: 03-1546-0415173-000. The MGL understands these tough economic times, so please only contribute if you wish to and are able.

Noho ora mai,
Ivor Jones
The Māori Green Lantern