Explainer: What you need to know about the smaller political parties in this year's election

Explainer - More than a dozen parties are asking for your vote this year, including several smaller ones striving to make it into Parliament, most for the first time.If a party wants to contest the party vote, they must register with the Electoral Commission, and require 500 paid members, rules about membership and going through an application process.Seventeen parties are registered for this year's election. Most voters already know National, Labour, ACT, New Zealand First, the Greens, Te Pati Maori and Opportunity, but what about the rest?The smaller parties registered for this election that also competed for the party vote in 2023 received a combined total of about 2.5 percent of the vote or 70,000 votes.Here are 10 of the smallest parties seeking a party vote and what they're all about, based on information on the Electoral Commission website and the parties' own websites.Policy descriptions are only a brief excerpt of broader platforms - for further information visit the party websites.Alliance Party of Aotearoa New ZealandWhat they say about themselves: "We are a democratic socialist party building a fairer Aotearoa New Zealand."What their policies include: "We believe in secure, well-paid work. Free education and healthcare. Affordable housing and power. A sustainable environment. And a democracy where people - not corporations - come first."What to know: The Alliance Party dates back to 1991, when it was formed as a coalition of smaller parties in a left-leaning alternative to the Labour Party, under leader Jim Anderton.It formed a coalition with Helen Clark's Labour government and was deregistered in 2015, but has now re-registered and announced it is "back to fight for working people".For more information: Alliance PartyAnimal Justice Party Aotearoa New ZealandWhat they say about themselves: "We believe in a world where all animals are treated with respect and compassion, where their well-being and autonomy are valued, and where their exploitation and suffering are eliminated."What their policies include: "The Animal Justice Party Aotearoa NZ believes that moving toward a future free from animal exploitation must be a transition, not a disruption. That means a dedicated, farmer-led national programme providing transition planning, financial assistance, and debt restructuring for those ready to move into plant-based agriculture or other sustainable land uses."For more information: Animal Justice PartyAotearoa Legalise Cannabis PartyWhat they say about themselves: "ALCP exists to legalise, regulate, and normalise cannabis for medicinal, recreational, and industrial use, while reducing harm caused by prohibition."What their policies include: "We are committed to overhauling the Misuse of Drugs Act, and creating sensible, compassionate cannabis laws that reflect modern values and science."What to know: The party was founded in 1996 at the first MMP election and has stood in every general election since, although it has never won a seat in Parliament.Conservative Party NZWhat they say about themselves: "We are working to bring a conservative voice to Parliament, to turn back the 'woke' agenda and prevailing culture of death."What their policies include: "We believe government should protect the rights and safety of New Zealanders, provide essential public services and manage taxpayers' money responsibly. It should not unnecessarily interfere in people's lives, divide New Zealanders by race or identity, or impose an ever-growing burden of regulation and bureaucracy."What to know: They called themselves the New Conservatives in the 2023 election, but the party is the same one originally founded by businessman and activist Colin Craig in 2011.For more information: Conservative Party NZFree PalestineWhat they say about themselves: Describing themselves in full as the "Palestine Free From The River To The Sea Party", they say they are "a political party committed to justice, international law and a democratic national state with equal rights for all citizens".What their policies include: "We aim to change public opinion and put sustained parliamentary pressure on the New Zealand government to uphold its obligations under international law with respect to Palestine."What to know: In August, the Electoral Commission reported it received 207 submissions opposing the party's registration, some of which called its name and logo offensive. The commission ruled it was acceptable to register the party, but did refuse its submitted logo, which contained a Palestinian flag.New Zealand LoyalWhat they say about themselves: "We reject government overrreach. We take our country back from foreign interests. We restore our freedoms. No compromise. No apologies."What their policies include: "End our participation in the UN, WEF, WHO; End climate accords based on faulty science; Establish energy independence, including oil and gas; Save our farmers from restrictive regulations; Scrap the current tax system; Scrap all race-based policies; Establish a NZ Constitution; Expose and eradicate propaganda from our news media; Protect our children from corrupt sex and gender 'education'; Decentralise government and return power to the people."What to know: Party leader Kelvyn Alp, who has taken the organisation over from party founder Liz Gunn, was arrested and charged with sharing the livestream of the Christchurch mosque attacks by a white supremacist that killed 51 people in 2019. He is also a founder of the far-right Counterspin platform.For more information: New Zealand LoyalNZ Outdoors & Freedom PartyWhat they say about themselves: "People hold the power. You choose the laws. Join the global movement striving for Direct Democracy."What their policies include: "Our core platform will permanently enshrine the New Zealand Bill of Rights as supreme law," the website says. It states that "We watched in real-time as our fundamental human rights were trampled on, from freedom of speech, movement and the right to peaceful assembly, to bodily autonomy and the right to refuse medical treatment."What to know: The party, which began life in 2017 as the NZ Outdoors Party, now calls itself simply 'freedom' - yes, lower case - on its website, although it's officially registered as the NZ Outdoors & Freedom Party. During the Covid-19 pandemic, leader Sue Grey frequently spoke out about vaccines and mandates.For more information: freedomTe Tai Tokerau PartyWhat they say about themselves: "Mō ngā tamariki, mō ngā mokopuna te take. For our tamariki and mokopuna - that is the cause."What their policies include: "Policies that centre whānau, uplift rangatahi and prioritise intergenerational wellbeing."What to know: Te Tai Tokerau was formed after MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi split from Te Pāti Māori last year. Kapa-Kingi was expelled from the party, but the High Court ruled the suspension and expulsion was unlawful.She has now decided to contest the 2026 election with a new independent party, named after the Northland electorate she represents.For more information: Te Tai Tokerau PartyVision New ZealandWhat they say about themselves: "We believe that the family is the ultimate cornerstone of society and the primary incubator for our nation's morals, which is why we will dismantle state dependency, strip away government overreach and restore parental authority to its rightful place."What their policies include: "Establish a dedicated Ministry for Families to act as a watchdog against state overreach and to champion proactive solutions for households."What to know: The party is led by Hannah Tamaki of Destiny Church.For more information: Vision New ZealandWomen's Rights PartyWhat they say about themselves: "We are women and men who believe in democracy, equality and biological reality."What their polices include: "We support the ban on the use of puberty blockers to treat children presenting with 'sex-related distress'. We would extend this to a ban on prescribing cross-sex hormones for adolescents under the age of 18, and restricting masculinisation or feminisation surgery to those aged over 25."For more information: Women's Rights Party