TheSensibleCentre

TheSensibleCentre is a New Zealand politician and the incumbent leader of the National Party. She has previously served as an MP for the Pirate Party, and as Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Pirate Party
TheSensibleCentre was elected as a list MP for the Pirate Party of New Zealand following the October 2021 election, in which she was ranked second on the party's list. The Pirate Party formed a coalition with the Alliance, resulting in TheSensibleCentre being appointed as Minister for Foreign Affairs and as Minister for COVID-19 Recovery. Her tenure as minister was fraught with controversy. As Foreign Affairs minister, she labeled Switzerland a "demonic nation of infidels and harlots" and declared the Swiss ambassador persona non grata, in a statement that was ultimately retracted.

TheSensibleCentre, as COVID-19 recovery minister, authorised $3 billion to be released from the COVID-19 recovery fund to spend on distributing twelve $50 "eat out to help out" vouchers for every New Zealander, to spend at any restaurant in New Zealand. She attempted to release $30 million from the recovery fund to "fund the elaborate public execution of LeChevalierMal-Fait", then the leader of Heartland New Zealand.

On 12 January 2022, TheSensibleCentre released a statement claiming New Zealand would unilaterally leave the Berne Agreement (which the Pirate Party opposed), comparing it to Nazi Germany. Early the following morning, TheSensibleCentre announced she had fled the country, and claimed to have embezzled "several millions of dollars" from the taxpayer. She formally resigned her positions, both as a list MP and as a minister, on 16 January.

Blaze Party and Socialist Aotearoa
With no explanation of her claimed embezzlements or foreign trip, TheSensibleCentre re-emerged in New Zealand politics in September 2022, as the founding member of the Blaze Party, advocating for cannabis legalisation. In response to Azerbaijan's hostilities against Armenia, she advocated for New Zealand to support Armenia and "blaze some Azeri soldiers with Kiwi bombs", to stop ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh. TheSensibleCentre merged the Blaze Party into Socialist Aotearoa on 7 October, stating "we are going to work together to deliver a real future for this country and its blazers", and reiterating her support for total legalisation of weed and a complete destruction of the military of Azerbaijan.

TheSensibleCentre stood for Socialist Aotearoa in the October 2022 general election, but was unsuccessful. Following the election, she called for the recall of National MP Gunnz011.

National Party
TheSensibleCentre released a statement on 29 November 2022, announcing herself as the new leader of the New Zealand National Party, and promised that National would take a new centrist position as "The Party of Common Sense". On 31 December, she alleged that she had been the victim of anti-white and transphobic bullying from deputy Prime Minister CaptainKate2258, leader of Te Pāti Māori. These allegations were not substantiated or responded to by CaptainKate2258. According to the New York Times, TheSensibleCentre claimed on 13 March 2023 that the National Party intended to "merge into whatever party has the best bid", however she tweeted the following day that "[National] will be contesting this election", to act as a "bulwark" against the "hatred and screeds" of New Zealand First, aiming to "bring a sensible, centrist voice to Parliament".