KnowYourVoteNZParty guides
Short, neutral summaries of the six parties currently in Parliament, followed by eleven smaller registered parties. These are broad descriptions of their stated priorities — for full policies, always read the parties' own materials. Seat counts are from the 2023 general election (when 123 MPs were returned due to an overhang seat); current numbers can differ slightly.
Leader · David Seymour
A classical-liberal party that favours lower taxes, smaller government and more individual choice. ACT argues the state should do fewer things, but do them better, and emphasises personal responsibility, regulatory reform and tougher penalties for crime.
Commonly associated with
Co-leaders · Marama Davidson & Chlöe Swarbrick
A left-leaning party whose core concerns are climate change, environmental protection and reducing inequality. The Greens argue for fast emissions reductions, investment in public services, and policies aimed at lower incomes and younger New Zealanders.
Commonly associated with
Leader · Chris Hipkins
A centre-left party focused on strong public services, workers' rights and reducing inequality. Labour generally supports greater government investment in health, education and housing, and policies that spread economic gains more evenly.
Commonly associated with
Leader (Prime Minister) · Christopher Luxon
A centre-right party focused on economic growth, business confidence and more efficient government. National generally supports lower taxes than Labour, public-private delivery of infrastructure and services, and firmer law-and-order policies.
Commonly associated with
Leader · Winston Peters
A populist, nationalist party that positions itself outside the traditional left-right divide. NZ First emphasises regional New Zealand, protecting superannuation, reducing immigration pressure and putting 'New Zealanders first' in trade and investment rules.
Commonly associated with
Co-leaders · Rawiri Waititi & Debbie Ngarewa-Packer
A party centred on Māori rights, tino rangatiratanga (self-determination) and giving effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Te Pāti Māori also campaigns on climate action, reducing child poverty and removing GST from essential food.
Commonly associated with
New Zealand has more registered parties than those in Parliament. You can give your party vote to any registered party; below the 5% threshold those votes don't turn into seats, but they still count toward the official result. These eleven smaller registered parties are listed alphabetically with the same treatment. Check elections.nz for the current official register — it changes often.
Leader · Victor Billot
A revival of the 1990s Alliance, which once brought together Labour splitters, the Greens and Mana Motuhake. The relaunched party describes itself as democratic socialist and campaigns for stronger public ownership, opposition to privatisation and a more active role for government in the economy.
Commonly associated with
Co-leader · Rob McNeil
A single-focus party whose core aim is giving animals a voice in Parliament. It campaigns for stronger animal welfare standards, environmental protection and kinder, fairer systems, and argues that animal interests are overlooked by the big parties.
Commonly associated with
Co-leaders · Michael Appleby & Maki Herbert
One of New Zealand's longest-running minor parties, campaigning for around three decades to legalise and regulate cannabis. It argues adults should be free to choose cannabis as a personal and health matter, and points to jobs and tax revenue from a regulated market and hemp industry.
Commonly associated with
Leader · Helen Houghton
A socially and fiscally conservative party standing on law and order, traditional values and leaner government. Its 2026 campaign focuses on restoring standards in education, stronger justice responses to crime, and trimming what it sees as excessive bureaucracy in government departments.
Commonly associated with
Leader · Paul Hopkinson
A new single-issue party created to put the Palestinian cause at the centre of the 2026 election debate. It supports Palestinian independence, accountability for what it calls war crimes in Gaza, and an independent New Zealand foreign policy rather than alignment with larger powers.
Commonly associated with
Founded by · Liz Gunn
Founded in 2023 by former TV presenter Liz Gunn, deregistered in 2024 and re-registered in 2026. The party campaigns against what it calls 'globalist' influence, for New Zealand to leave international bodies such as the UN and WHO, for very limited central government and tighter immigration.
Commonly associated with
Leader · Sue Grey
Began as the Outdoors Party, focused on rivers, hunting and the conservation estate, and broadened into 'freedom' politics. It combines environmental protection with direct democracy, opposition to 1080 aerial poisoning, and campaigns against vaccine mandates and other public-health restrictions.
Commonly associated with
Leader · Qiulae Wong
Founded by economist Gareth Morgan in 2016 and rebranded under its fifth leader, businesswoman Qiulae Wong, in 2025. Positioning itself as centrist and evidence-led, it campaigns for a major tax reset including a universal 'Citizens Income', and says it wants to end two-party politics as usual.
Commonly associated with
Leader · Mariameno Kapa-Kingi
Formed in 2026 by the Te Tai Tokerau MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi after she split from Te Pāti Māori — a split the High Court later found had been mishandled. The party campaigns on tino rangatiratanga, local decision-making and mana mokopuna, and says its membership is open to all voters regardless of whakapapa.
Commonly associated with
Leader · Hannah Tamaki
A Christian party founded in 2019 by Hannah Tamaki, co-leader of the Destiny Church movement, and part of the Freedoms NZ coalition. It campaigns on Christian values in public life, along with housing, youth employment and tighter immigration, and contested the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election in 2025.
Commonly associated with
Co-leader · Jill Ovens
Founded in 2023 after the 'Let Women Speak' event in Auckland. The party campaigns to protect what it describes as sex-based rights, including women-only spaces and services, and says both major sides of politics have neglected women's rights and the safeguarding of children.
Commonly associated with
All parties — in Parliament and out — are shown in alphabetical order with identical styling. We never rank or endorse, and we don't judge any party's beliefs; these are summaries of their stated aims. For a party's full policies, always read its own materials.