We are calling for the denial of any visa application or revocation of any visa already granted the individual named Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, also known by the pseudonym Posie Parker, on the basis that there is reason to believe her arrival in Aotearoa New Zealand poses a significant risk and threat to public order and the public interest—particularly with respect to preventing violence towards members of our takatāpui, transgender and gender diverse communities. 

Keen-Minshull announced her travel to Aotearoa New Zealand via social media on January 9th and now advertises on a special purpose website as part of a broader global tour for promoting her hateful views. She specifically states that she will be visiting Auckland on the 25 March and Wellington on 26 March (see here). Presumably, she will hold public rallies in these cities as this is her usual mode of operation and she announced these planned visits as part of a global speaking tour.

Keen-Minshull has a longstanding track record of hateful speech and the incitement of violence towards trans and gender diverse people as well as other marginalised communities including:

• Threatening transgender and gender diverse people, “and anyone else who stands in her way,” saying they will be “annihilated” (see here).
• Stating that trans men should be sterilised. (see here). 
• Calling for men carrying guns to patrol women’s bathrooms to protect against the imagined threat of trans women (see here).
• Violent outbreaks at speaking tours in the United Kingdom and United States, including supporters allegedly assaulting counter-protesters and inflicting violence on trans protesters—with one using pepper spray (see here and here).
• Travelling to the United States on one particular occasion to harass a prominent transgender activist (see here).
• Speaking alongside and posing for a selfie with a Norwegian political extremist known for his racist and anti-semist statements, including Holocaust denial (see here).
• Appearing in a video with a far-right white nationalist YouTuber (see here).
• Organising rallies attended by members of the far-right group, United States Proud Boys—designated as a terrorist organisation by the New Zealand government–and posing for a photo with a prominent member of this organisation who has been implicated in their January 2021 attack on the US Capitol (see here, here and here).
• Being excluded by other groups and members of her own extreme anti-trans circles because of her racism, Islamophobia and ties to far-right white nationalism—some of whom have also specifically disassociated themselves from this same tour she plans to bring to our cities and communities (see here, here and here). 

Under s16 of the Immigration Act 2009, you are empowered to deny a visa, entry permission or visa waiver to a person likely to be a threat or risk to public order or to the public interest. Both public order and the public interest are likely to be threatened by the entry of Keen-Minshull and her planned tour of hate across our country.  

In light of the violence provoked during Keen-Minshull’s previous tours, it is clear that she poses a threat and risk to public order. More specifically, the violent outbreaks at her previous speaking tours in the United States and United Kingdom and her excusing of this violence show her willingness to both incite and permit violence at the events she organises and is associated with. Her associations with a designated terrorist organisation and members of other far-right extremist groups underline this threat and indicate the type of people who may be attracted to her events.

As demonstrated by the Christchurch terrorist attack of March 2019, Aotearoa is highly vulnerable to hate that fosters violence and the horrific harm that result. This discourse of hate and valorisation of violence is increasingly mobilised through transnational networks of well-connected yet disparate far-right extremist organisations. There is a strong public interest in preventing its spread. This is because it directly threatens the human rights and bodily integrity of people—in this case, our takatāpui, trans and gender-diverse communities. It is also because these networks of extremists are connected and reinforce one another. By permitting one form of anti-trans extremist to enter the country, you will also risk emboldening and strengthening related groups within the same networks.

Based on the content and tone of her previous on and offline appearances, there is reason to believe that Keen-Minshull poses a legitimate threat and risk to trans and gender diverse people in Aotearoa New Zealand. We ask you to act in the public interest; upholding human rights, the protection of the bodily integrity and autonomy of individuals, and the prevention of extreme right radicalisation. If Keen-Minshull’s appearances in Auckland and Wellington were to go ahead, they will give platform to hateful speech directed towards trans and gender diverse people. This type of hateful speech is proven to both overtly incite violence towards trans women and foster a broader dehumanisation of trans and gender diverse people that promotes and condones violence towards our already vulnerable communities. It is also likely that she will connect with and promote broader communities of hate across the extreme far-right including misogynists, islamophobes and white supremacists. 

There is, accordingly, a need for action to preserve public order and uphold the public interest by denying any request for a visa or visa waiver made by Keen-Minshull or, if a visa has already been granted, revoking that visa or refusing her entry permission under it.

Signed by: 

Rainbow Greens of Aotearoa New Zealand

Dr Elizabeth Kerekere (Green Party Spokesperson for Rainbow Issues)

Ricardo Menéndez March (Green Party Spokesperson for Immigration)

Golriz Ghahraman (Green Party Spokesperson for Human Rights)