Polling suggests a tight race, with major parties likely to need help from at least one other minor party to form a parliamentary majority.<\/p>\n
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New Zealand and Australian flags fly in front of the NZ parliament in Wellington.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n Inflation and the cost of living is the central issue, with crime, housing and health also registering highly.<\/p>\n To enter parliament in New Zealand\u2019s mixed member proportional system, parties must either win one of the 72 electorate seats or hit five per cent of the nationwide party vote.<\/p>\n The six parties most likely to contend for parliament fall into two blocs: the left \u2013 Labour, the Greens and the Maori Party \u2013 and the right \u2013 National, ACT, and New Zealand First.<\/p>\n The most recent polls give the right an edge, with National and ACT possibly able to govern without NZ First\u2019s help.<\/p>\n Politics: Centre-left, social democratic.<\/p>\n Leader: Chris Hipkins. The \u201cboy from the Hutt\u201d replaced Jacinda Ardern after her shock resignation in January, stepping up from previous stints as COVID-19 and education minister and parliamentary attack dog. Representing downtrodden northern Wellington, voters have warmed to the down-to-earth \u201cChippy\u201d but he\u2019s dealt with little other than disaster and scandal since becoming prime minister.<\/p>\n Last election: 50 per cent, 65 seats. Landslide win.<\/p>\n Recent polling: 26-33 per cent.<\/p>\n Big issue: Do voters blame the pandemic, or Labour, for inflation, an economy in recession and growing youth crime?<\/p>\n New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins speaks at the Labour Maori campaign launch, held at Nga Whare Waatea marae in Auckland last month.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>NZHerald\/AP<\/cite><\/p>\n Politics: Centre-right.<\/p>\n Leader: Chris Luxon. The other Chris is a former Air New Zealand chief executive who was drafted into parliament at the last election and became leader a year later. A political prot\u00e9g\u00e9 of Sir John Key, the 53-year-old can appear too corporate or wooden, but has brought discipline and focus to the Nats, which boast a policy platform full of ideas.<\/p>\n Last election: 26 per cent, 33 seats. Decimated and depressed in opposition.<\/p>\n Recent polling: 33-37 per cent.<\/p>\n Big issue: Have voters warmed to Luxon enough to make him prime minister?<\/p>\n National Party leader Chris Luxon speaks at the National Party election campaign launch in Auckland on Sunday.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n Politics: Left.<\/p>\n Co-leaders: James Shaw and Marama Davidson. Shaw is the corporate, urban Green who has been climate change minister for six years. Davidson is a grassroots campaigner with a rabble-rousing record. Together, the pair have walked the awkward line of holding down ministries while also criticising the Labour government from the left.<\/p>\n Last election: 8 per cent, 10 seats. Signed a co-operation deal with Labour for two ministries outside cabinet.<\/p>\n Recent polling: 8-12 per cent.<\/p>\n Big issue: The Greens are campaigning on major tax reform to fund universal dental care and poverty eradication.<\/p>\n New Zealand Green Party leader James Shaw, left, and Prime Minister-designate Jacinda Ardern shake hands after signing a confidence and supply agreement in 2017.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>AP<\/cite><\/p>\n Politics: Libertarian, right-wing.<\/p>\n Leader: David Seymour. No other NZ politician can slip as effortlessly from a serious policy discussion to an attention-grabbing stunt. With National in the wilderness over the past six years, the 40-year-old has grown his party\u2019s support with conservative policies like shrinking the public sector, lowering tax and red tape, tougher sentencing and a referendum on the Treaty of Waitangi.<\/p>\n Last election: 8 per cent, 10 seats. Surged in size but remained in opposition.<\/p>\n Recent polling: 10-14 per cent.<\/p>\n Big issue: Well poised to support National in government if the right takes power. Can it hold the vote from National through the campaign?<\/p>\n Euthanasia bill sponsor David Seymour, rear right, embraces other MPs in parliament in Wellington after passage of the bills in 2019.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>AP<\/cite><\/p>\n Politics: Indigenous rights, left.<\/p>\n Co-leaders: Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi. Disruptive and radical, the Maori Party co-leaders became MPs in 2020 and have left their mark by refusing to adapt to the colonial institution of parliament. The \u201cunapologetically Maori\u201d pair have shifted the party leftwards from a previous incarnation that supported Key\u2019s government.<\/p>\n Last election: 1 per cent, two seats. Re-entered parliament through Waititi\u2019s surprise win in the Waiariki electorate and sat in opposition.<\/p>\n Recent polling: 3-6 per cent.<\/p>\n Big issue: The party has polled as high as seven per cent but its fate is likely to depend on Maori seats. How strong is their grassroots game?<\/p>\n Rawiri Waititi walks the runway during the Kiri Nathan show during New Zealand Fashion Week 23 in AUckland last week.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n Politics: Populist<\/p>\n Leader: Winston Peters. First elected in 1979 and founded NZ First in 1993. A perennial kingmaker, this time around Peters has ruled out Labour in the hope of riding a wave of dissatisfaction back into parliament. The party is promising regional investment and has added slices of anti-vax and anti-trans sentiment to its manifesto.<\/p>\nLABOUR<\/h3>\n
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NATIONAL<\/h3>\n
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GREENS<\/h3>\n
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ACT<\/h3>\n
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MAORI PARTY (TE PATI MAORI)<\/h3>\n
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NEW ZEALAND FIRST<\/h3>\n
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