Both ACT and the Conservative Party are right wing parties. They agree on some things: getting tough on crime, long prison sentences and fewer MPs.
ACT thinks the government should not be involved in businesses like electricity or ACC. Instead, competition between businesses will bring down prices. The party believes competition for early childhood education works well and perhaps this should be copied by primary and secondary schools. Charter schools were ACT’s idea. ACT believes in less government spending; therefore ACT wants lower tax rates. In 2011, ACT had one MP. This year again, the ACT candidate will probably win Epsom with the support of National Party voters.
The Conservative Party has no MPs in Parliament. It was a new party in 2011. Colin Craig is the leader. One main difference between these two right wing parties is that the Conservative Party does not want foreign ownership of New Zealand land. The ACT party, however, believes New Zealanders should sell to any buyer who will pay the highest price.
The Conservative Party wants to get rid of the Maori seats in Parliament. It also wants to get rid of the law which says you cannot smack your children. Mr Craig wants issues like this to be decided by a referendum, not by MPs. His party wants the drinking age for alcohol to be raised to 20.
While these are small parties, in this election they could be very important in deciding whether National can form a coalition government.
To read more about these parties, go to the ACT website and the Conservative Party website .
Two other small parties which could be important to Labour are the Maori Party and the Internet-Mana Party. Listen to May 30th 2014 to hear more about the Internet-Mana Party.
Vocabulary
referendum – vote by the people