Colin King-Ansell

Who is Colin King-Ansell?

Colin King-Ansell is a prominent figure in far-right politics in New Zealand. He has been described as "New Zealand’s most notorious Nazi cheerleader and Holocaust denier".

In 1967 he joined the National Socialist Party of New Zealand. In December 1967 King-Ansell was given an 18 months prison sentence for damage to a synagogue.

King-Ansell first achieved national New Zealand fame in 1968 when he appeared on a television current affairs programme. When questioned about the Holocaust, he dismissed it as lies and allied propaganda, prompting public anger. King-Ansell however did not elaborate his views on the screen. Seven years later the current affairs host Brian Edwards said the first tape of the interview was accidentally not broadcast.

In 1969 he became leader of the National Socialist Party. He stood for the National Socialists in the general election of 1972 and contested the Mount Albert in 1975 and again in 1978. In 1979 he was fined $400 following an appeal against a 3-month prison sentence for breaching the Race Relations Act.

He was subsequently involved in a number of extremist groups, including Unit 88. As the leader of the NZ Fascist Union he was interviewed on the Paul Holmes show.