Nicole McKee has been chosen as Deputy Leader of the ACT Party, the party announced on 28 June 2026.

McKee is a List MP — a Member of Parliament selected from a party's ranked list rather than elected in a specific electorate. She currently works as Minister for Courts in the coalition government. She was born in Lower Hutt and raised in Rotorua before moving to Wellington. Her background is in law.

ACT Leader David Seymour said McKee had earned the respect and confidence of her colleagues. The party's leadership chose her through an internal caucus process — a meeting of MPs from the party — rather than holding a vote open to all party members.

What this means

McKee is now formally the second-ranked figure in ACT, a small party that holds significant influence in the National-led government. As Minister for Courts, she already oversees important areas: who becomes judges, how well-resourced the courts are, and fixing problems in the district courts system. The deputy leader role adds to her standing — it formalises her position at the Cabinet table, where Cabinet ministers meet, and makes clear where she would stand if there were ever a change of party leadership.

ACT is smaller than National or Labour, but it has become more important in Parliament. David Seymour is the party's most visible public figure. Deputy leader roles in smaller parties tend to be less visible than they are in larger ones. McKee's legal expertise and her ministerial responsibilities give her a stronger platform than someone in this role might otherwise have.