Nicole McKee has been named ACT's new deputy leader, replacing Brooke van Velden, who announced on 28 June 2026 that she will retire from Parliament at the November election to move into the private sector, according to 1News.

McKee is an associate justice minister in the National-led coalition government. Her elevation to the deputy role gives ACT a frontbench figure who holds an active ministerial warrant — a practical asset for a minor party seeking to show it can govern as it heads into an election.

Van Velden held the deputy leadership while managing ministerial responsibilities, making her one of ACT's most visible figures in this term. Her exit from Parliament removes a senior figure whose years in government have built deep knowledge of the coalition's workings and ACT's institutional priorities.

McKee's portfolio spans justice — an area where ACT has built consistent policy presence — giving her a platform aligned with the party's legislative agenda. Whether she remains deputy through the election campaign as a high-ranked list candidate will become clear once ACT confirms its candidate rankings in the lead-up to November.

The announcement, several months before the election, gives McKee time to build public visibility in the role before campaigning begins. It also lets ACT set out its ticket early: David Seymour as leader, McKee as deputy with active ministerial responsibilities — a pairing the party will likely use to argue it has governed effectively and earned another term.