Tanya Unkovich resigns from Parliament amid controversy over her anti-trans bill and anti-vax views. Craig Young explores the motivations behind her abrupt departure.
At the end of June, New Zealand First List MP Tanya Unkovich stepped down from Parliament, citing a desire to return to her career as a motivational speaker. Her departure might appear straightforward, but given her recent controversies, I can’t help but view it as abrupt and politically significant.
Unkovich came under national scrutiny after introducing a private member’s bill that would have barred trans people from accessing gender-appropriate bathrooms and changing rooms. The “Fair Access to Bathrooms Bill” sparked immediate backlash, with critics pointing out that it ignored international research—including Canadian Senate findings—that found no evidence trans women pose any threat in public facilities.
Her conservative views didn’t come as a surprise. Born to a Croatian migrant family, she holds a Bachelor of Commerce in accountancy and commercial law. After working in accounting and a stint as an Air New Zealand flight attendant, she became a consultant for MYOB during its rollout in Aotearoa.
But it was her evangelical Christian beliefs and anti-vaccine rhetoric that raised more alarm bells. Her website links her to Robert Schuller’s “Hour of Power,” she’s appeared frequently on Rhema Broadcasting, and she published a book through Deep River Books, a Christian imprint. During the 2023 election campaign, she used Telegram to call for “Nuremberg Trials” against vaccine proponents—a statement many found deeply disturbing.
Since then, she’s leaned into her identity as a faith-based motivational speaker. I suspect that her resignation was less about “pursuing her passion” and more about realising the limits of political traction for the sort of culture war politics she championed. Even New Zealand First leader Winston Peters wouldn’t elaborate on her sudden departure.
Unkovich’s story reflects a wider pattern in politics: the use of moral panic over trans rights and public health to score political points, only to exit once public or parliamentary backlash builds. With a lucrative career awaiting her, off the back of controversy, it’s unclear whether this departure marks a retreat or simply a shift in platform.
Article | Craig Young.
Image Source | LinkedIn.
