What the smaller parties got

Under MMP, a party almost never wins half of Parliament by itself — it has happened once, in 2020. So governments are built from partners, and partners put their price in writing. Here is every government since 1996, and 35 specific things its smaller partners won, quoted from the agreements or from reports of them.

After the 2017 election

Labour–NZ First coalition, with confidence and supply from the Greens. Agreements dated 24 October 2017.

63 of 120 seats promised on confidence; 61 needed.

  • Labour 46 seats leads the government
  • New Zealand First 9 seats coalition partner — ministers in Cabinet
  • Greens 8 seats confidence and supply — keeps the government in office, votes freely otherwise

What the smaller partners won

  1. New Zealand First

    A $1 billion-a-year fund for regional development — the Provincial Growth Fund.

    “A $1b per annum Regional Development (Provincial Growth) Fund” — Labour–NZ First coalition agreement, 2017, NZ First’s priorities

    Source: mcguinnessinstitute.org

  2. New Zealand First

    A ‘waka-jumping’ law, about MPs who leave the party they were elected for.

    “Introduce and pass a 'Waka Jumping' Bill.” — Labour–NZ First coalition agreement, 2017, NZ First’s priorities

    Source: mcguinnessinstitute.org

  3. New Zealand First

    A free vote for MPs on NZ First’s change to the End of Life Choice Bill, putting it to a referendum.

    “Allow a conscience vote for MPs on New Zealand First's Supplementary Order Paper to the End of Life Choice Bill, which provides for a referendum.” — Labour–NZ First coalition agreement, 2017, NZ First’s priorities

    Source: mcguinnessinstitute.org

  4. Greens

    A referendum on legalising personal cannabis use, at or before the 2020 election.

    “have a referendum on legalising the personal use of cannabis at, or by, the 2020 general election.” — Labour–Green confidence and supply agreement, 2017

    Source: mcguinnessinstitute.org

  5. Greens

    A $100 million government-backed Green Investment Fund for low-carbon investment.

    “kick-started by a Government-backed Green Investment Fund of $100 million.” — Labour–Green confidence and supply agreement, 2017

    Source: mcguinnessinstitute.org

A Zero Carbon Act appears in both the NZ First and Green agreements, so it isn’t listed as either party’s alone.

What this page doesn’t claim

A vote doesn’t buy a deal. Agreements are negotiated after the election, by party leaders. Voting for a small party gives it seats; what it trades them for is up to it.

We don’t rate them. Each entry says what was agreed, not whether it was a good idea — and these are a few concrete items, not the whole agreement.

Seats are the official result, from the Electoral Commission’s returns — the same data behind History. “What became of it” appears only where we have a source for it; where it’s missing, we haven’t checked yet — it doesn’t mean nothing happened.