UPDATED 12.30PM Gareth Morgan is comparing his tilt at politics, to Donald Trump's anti-establishment campaign. 

Morgan has launched a new political party, The Opportunities Party, ahead of next year’s election. He said it would “break from the lethargy that establishment parties and career politicians have us locked in”.

When asked whether he could be a disruptive force like Kim Dotcom in 2014, he had a different comparison in mind.

"Kim Dotcom? I can think of something better - how about Trump?"

Dr Morgan then clarified that he didn't like anything about Donald Trump, but continued to draw links between them.

"Well I guess in the sense that I haven't joined an establishment party, that we are coming in here to push whoever the Government of the day is."

In an online post, he said the party’s policies would be released by the end of January.

Morgan said he had resigned as a trustee of the Morgan Foundation to focus on the political campaign.

“[The Opportunities Party] is a rebellion against the politics of mediocrity, against the inertia of the established parties.

“The next few months for us at TOP is all about convincing you the voter that what we propose will produce a substantial improvement in well-being, and that we deserve your support in chivvying the government along - whoever they may be.”

Gareth Morgan's new political party - thoughts? https://t.co/12rVxNESeX

— Newstalk ZB (@NewstalkZB) November 3, 2016

The logo for Morgan’s new party is the winner of the $20,000 competition to design a new flag he ran in the lead-up to the first flag change referendum.

The flag - Wa kainga (Home), created by Auckland design business Studio Alexander - is similar to the Red Peak design that was eventually included as one of the final flag options.

On the party's official website, Morgan has posted a timeline of his life in an effort for potential voters to get to know him beyond common perceptions such as "that rich guy", "the father of that guy that sold Trade Me" or "the guy that wants to kill cats".

The party's core vision was to "restore the Kiwi tradition of being the most equitable or fair society on the planet", and to change current policies that "protect the privileges of a few".

The Opportunities Party's website says the party will be happy to work with and influence National and Labour-led Governments.

A trained economist, Morgan amassed a fortune after selling his economic forecasting firm Infometrics in the late 1990s, later set up Gareth Morgan Investments, and received a windfall after a $75,000 investment in Trade Me, set-up by his son Sam, turned into $47 million.

Morgan pledged to give away the millions earned through his Trade Me investment, and established the Morgan Foundation, which focusses on conservation and development projects as well as public policy research.

In 2013, Morgan caused a storm of controversy after launching a campaign to eradicate domestic cats, calling them natural-born killers that destroy native wildlife.

Green Party co-leader James Shaw said he wasn't worried about Top stealing his party's vote.

"I really respect the work that Gareth has done through the Morgan Foundation on climate change and inequality in particular.

"I think if he takes votes off anyone it's probably that group of people who have voted for the National Party who are very worried about their environmental record but who will refuse to vote for the Greens as long as we are in a relationship with the Labour Party."

Shaw said most Green voters would question why they should switch from an established party to "a start-up that has a pretty low chance of making the 5 per cent threshold".

"There's quite a high risk that you will waste your vote there. I think Colin Craig and Kim Dotcom demonstrated that having a lot of money is useful but an insufficient condition."

Before entering Parliament, Shaw shared an office with the Morgan Foundation, and said Morgan's past comments and campaigns could hurt him.

"One of the things he said to me [when we shared an office] was because he is independently wealthy, and because at the time at least he had no political ambitions he felt he was in a position to say things that were unpopular.

"I respect that but it does add to the challenge that he's got if he wants to actually make it into Parliament. Obviously the cat campaign is going to make it harder for him."

Morgan's party will need 500 financial members to be registered.

To enter Parliament without winning an electorate, Morgan's party will need to capture 5 per cent of the party vote next year.

At the 2014 election, Craig's Conservative Party received 95,598 votes and still fell short at just under 4 per cent of the party vote.

NZ Herald