It envisaged its MPs entering Parliament if elected but being answerable to an Apostolic Council of religious leaders from various faiths and cultural backgrounds.

[6] At the time the party generally leaned towards the pentecostal and evangelical wing of Christianity,[7] though founder Stephanie Harawira said, "We didn't come together as Baptists, as Anglicans or Methodists.

"[8] Prophecy has been important to the party; candidates spoke of being given a sign or message that it is their destiny to become politicians,[9] and Harawira stated that God has spoken directly to her.

[10] The party launched at Marsden Cross in Rangihoua Bay (site of the first Christian service in New Zealand, in 1814) in June 2020.

In 2019, rumours spread that Ngaro intended to leave National and form a new Christian party, which at the time he denied.

Ngaro became disappointed with the National Party's opposition to gay conversion therapy and support for gender identity, and this led to his involvement with NewZeal.

[27][non-primary source needed] Across nine polls conducted for 1News between July 2022 and September 2023, the ONE Party or NewZeal registered between 0% and 0.5% support, far short of the threshold for entering Parliament without winning an electorate seat.