“Our belief at Balance New Zealand is that we ALL have the ability to meet in the “MIDDLE”.
The removal of tribalistic politics is crucial to UNITY and PROSPERITY across all of New Zealand; from the corporate office to the coal face of healthcare. From the paddock to the streets with our emergency services.
From the arrivals terminal to the homes in our communities. From the crashing waves in the deep south to the sun soaked far north and all of us in between.”
Juan brings to Balance New Zealand a depth of real-world experience grounded in the core pillars that keep New Zealand strong and thriving.
First and foremost, Juan is the son of John and Julz Coffey, a devoted husband, and a proud, loving father. His values are shaped by family, community, and a deep respect for the responsibilities we hold to one another as New Zealanders.
“I firmly believe that New Zealand is strongest when we stand together as one, across all ethnicities, genders, ages, sexual orientations, and abilities, united by a shared commitment to respect, fairness, and opportunity.
I envision a future where we build a New Zealand that our children and grandchildren are proud to call home. A nation they will inherit with confidence, carry forward with purpose, and shape as their own for generations to come.”
Harrison Stirling is a co-founder of Balance New Zealand and a passionate advocate for unity, fairness, and practical solutions that serve all New Zealand. His career has been built on the frontlines of mental health and youth development, working in schools as a youth worker and in mental health triage, supporting individuals and families during their most vulnerable moments.
Harrison also lives with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a lifelong neurological condition that has given him firsthand experience navigating New Zealand's healthcare system and a deep personal understanding of why getting health and disability policy right matters.
He helped create Balance NZ on the belief that New Zealand's future depends on moving beyond division and working toward common-sense, evidence-based solutions. He believes in a country where dignity, opportunity, and support are available to all and where leadership is grounded in real-world experience, empathy, and accountability.
"I've spent my career sitting across from people at their lowest, young people in crisis, families with nowhere to turn, and individuals failed by systems that should have caught them.
That experience doesn't leave you. It shapes how you see everything, including politics. I didn't co-found Balance with an agenda. I came with a belief that if we're honest, practical, and willing to listen, we can fix things. New Zealand deserves leadership that's lived something real and I intend to bring that."
Juan brings to Balance New Zealand a depth of real-world experience grounded in the core pillars that keep New Zealand strong and thriving.
First and foremost, Juan is the son of John and Julz Coffey, a devoted husband, and a proud, loving father. His values are shaped by family, community, and a deep respect for the responsibilities we hold to one another as New Zealanders.
“I firmly believe that New Zealand is strongest when we stand together as one, across all ethnicities, genders, ages, sexual orientations, and abilities, united by a shared commitment to respect, fairness, and opportunity.
I envision a future where we build a New Zealand that our children and grandchildren are proud to call home. A nation they will inherit with confidence, carry forward with purpose, and shape as their own for generations to come.”
Represent the outcomes we all want to see as we move forward into a prosperous and healthy nation.
Represents the core values that will allow New Zealand to grow & thrive in the coming years and decades.
Represent the foundational principles of a healthy, functioning happy society.