National
Position: Centre-right l Leader: Christopher Luxon l Currently: Senior governing party
Website: National Party - Fixing the Basics. Building the future.
What they Stand for
National is New Zealand's most electorally successful party, having spent more time in government than any other. They champion free-market economics, lower taxes, limited government, personal responsibility, competitive enterprise, law and order, and strong families. They describe themselves as a "broad church" encompassing conservative and liberal tendencies.
Economy: Fiscal responsibility, tax cuts, reducing government debt, attracting business investments. The government cut $14.7 billion in taxes over four years. Returned the Reserve Bank to a single mandate of controlling inflation
Law & Order: Tougher sentencing, more police, a new national gang unit. Claims an 85% reduction in ram raids and 49,000 fewer victims of violent crime.
Education: One hour per day of reading, writing and maths; banned cell phones in class; standardised testing from 2026; converted 35 state schools to charter schools and created 15 new ones.
Housing: Reinstated full interest deductibility for landlords; introduced Build to Rent housing legislation; reversed Labour's no-cause eviction ban.
Energy: Reversed ban on offshore oil and gas exploration; accelerating renewable energy projects
Treaty of Waitangi: Recognises the Treaty as New Zealand's founding document but opposes race-based policy distinctions.
Māori: Abolished the Māori health Authority. Required councils with Māori wards to hold referendums on their status.
KiwiSaver: In 2025 announced gradual increase of compulsory contributions from 3% to 6% by 2032. In June 2026, announced plans to make KiwiSaver compulsory for all workers and automatically enrol babies.
Defence: Committed $12 billion to defence spending over four years, raising New Zealand's defence spending to 2% of GDP (Gross Domestic Product)
The National Party was formed in May 1936 through the merger of two older conservative parties - the Reform Party ( founded 1905, representing farmers and business) and the United Party (successor to the Liberal Party). The merger was a response to Labour's rise to power under Michael Joseph Savage in 1935.
National first won government in 1949 under Sidney Holland and has governed New Zealand for around 50 of its 90-year history - more than any other party, making it New Zealand's most electorally successful party.
1960-1972 (Keith Holyoake): Long period of stability and prosperity during New Zealand's post-war boom
1975-1984 (Robert Muldoon) : Interventionist economic management, wage and price freezes, controversial 'Think Big' energy projects
1990-1999 (Jim Bolger & Jenny Shipley): Radical free-market reforms, benefit cuts, Employment Contracts Act
2008-2016 (John Key) Popular, business-friendly, pragmatic centre-right. Three terms, resigned abruptly in 2016.
2016-2017 (Bill English): Succeeded Key, lost to Jacinda Ardern's Labour in 2017
2020-2021 (Judith Collins): Led National to low vote of 26%, replaced by Luxon.
2021-Present (Christopher Luxon): Former Air NZ CEO, won the 2023 election with 38% and formed New Zealand's first three-party coalition MMP coalition.
Key Polices
Party History
The Leader
Christopher Luxon l Born: 19 July 1970 l MP for: Botany, Auckland l Role: Prime Minister of New Zealand (42nd)
Christopher Mark Luxon was born in Christchurch to Graham Luxon (a businessman) and Kathleen Luxon (a psychotherapist and counsellor). He is the eldest of three brothers. The family has Irish, Scottish and English roots. Christopher Luxon attended Christchurch Boys' High School and the University of Canterbury between 1989 and 1992 studying a Master of commerce in Business Administration. Luxon married Amanda Luxon at the age of 23, and has two adult children Olivia and William
Throughout Luxon's business career he spent 18 years at Unilever, working his way up from a management trainee to eventually becoming President and CEO of Unilever Canada. In 2011 he returned to New Zealand to join Air New Zealand becoming CEO in 2012. Under his leadership, Air New Zealand became one of the world's most profitable and admired airlines, winning multiple awards. In 2019 Luxon departed Air New Zealand and entered politics.
Luxon entered politics later than any modern New Zealand PM. He was selected as National's candidate for the Botany seat in East Auckland in 2019, winning with 50.2% of the vote in the 2020 general election. Luxon served as National's spokesperson for local government, research, science, manufacturing and land information. In Luxon's second year as an MP, he was elected leader of the National Party in November 2021. Luxon led National to a strong win in the 2023 general election winning 38% of the vote and 48 seats. He negotiated the complex three-way coalition agreement with ACT and New Zealand First. Christopher Luxon was sworn in as New Zealand's 42nd Prime Minister on 27 November 2023.