Qiulae Wong

Qiulae Wong (; born 1988), also known by her initial Q, is a New Zealand businesswoman and politician who has been the leader of the Opportunity Party (TOP) since November 2025. She was previously a sustainable business consultant at KPMG.

Early life and career

Qiulae Wong was born in Fiji in May 1988. Wong is of Chinese and European descent. She grew up in the Auckland suburb of One Tree Hill.

She graduated from the University of Auckland with a double degree in law and politics. She worked with the Ethical Fashion Group, specifically Common Objective, which supported businesses such as Vivienne Westwood and Stella McCartney in their transition toward more sustainable business models. She went on to work as a sustainable business consultant at KPMG.

Leader of the Opportunity Party (2025–present)

TOP, a political party founded by Gareth Morgan in 2016, was without a permanent leader from 2023 to 2025 following the resignation of Raf Manji. Wong was chosen from several applicants to lead the party as its fifth leader in the 2026 election. She was chosen despite not having wide name recognition or experience in parliament, which is atypical in New Zealand politics. She shortened the party's name to "Opportunity" after becoming leader.

2026 general election Wong announced that the party would contest the November 2026 general election with a more centrist platform, including reducing house prices through a land value tax, and introducing a "Citizen's Voice," consisting of citizens' assemblies for certain major issues. The party began increasing its communications with voters in preparation for the election, with a variety of community and television appearances.

Wong has emphasised the need for the party to broaden its appeal to ordinary voters, acknowledging past criticism that the party focused heavily on detailed policy at the expense of connecting with the electorate. As part of this repositioning, Wong has described three broad areas of policy focus: combatting "divisive politics", including through the use of citizens' assemblies on complex issues; building New Zealand's "next economy"; and prioritising environmental restoration as a foundation for long-term economic activity.

Under her leadership, TOP's platform focuses on economic growth and includes a major tax proposal. She supports implementing a ratepayer assistance scheme to provide low-interest loans for electric upgrades, arguing that transitioning away from gas is an "equity issue" for lower-income New Zealanders. She has advocated for policies such as a land value tax, a citizens' income for most adults, and a flat income tax to address housing affordability and wealth inequality. These proposals are part of Wong's broader pitch that New Zealand needs fundamental changes to its tax system to support families and small businesses.

On 13 February 2026, Wong announced that the party would campaign to replace all forms of welfare assistance, including superannuation, with a means-tested income support for citizens. Unlike universal basic income, people earning more than NZ$350,000 a year would not be eligible for it. The citizen's income policy would be funded by a land value tax, and savings from the benefits that would be replaced. On 16 February, Wong confirmed she would contest the Mount Albert electorate.

Personal life During the nine years she spent in London, she met her husband, Grant, who is originally from Palmerston North. The couple married and started a family while living overseas. Wong has two daughters. Wong and her family now reside in Auckland. She had her first daughter, Malia, in 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdown. Wong has said publicly that the birth of her first daughter prompted a desire to reconnect with family and ultimately her relocation back to New Zealand in 2022. She credits her daughters as being her biggest inspirations. After returning to New Zealand in 2022, Wong gave birth to their second daughter, Cleo.