Three minor political parties - Maori, New Zealand First and Green - launched their election campaigns during the weekend, with each of them promoting their credentials to be part of the next government.
Labour, National, Act New Zealand and United Future will start next Sunday.
National is well ahead in the polls but conventional logic suggests that it will need a coalition partner after the November 8 election to form a government.
The Maori Party made things a bit tougher for National when it said that if National wanted to work with it after the election, then it had to abandon its plans to phase out the seven Maori seats from 2014.
The Maori Party was also committed to removing GST on essential items, such as food and petrol, and on making the first $25,000 of personal income tax-free.
While it is likely the party would give way on the last two items, it appeared to be staunch on making National back away from its plans to abolish the Maori seats.
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters promoted an annual tax threshold of $5200 and GST reduced to 10%.
He wanted to establish a fund designed to give all New Zealanders an opportunity to invest in infrastructure and buy back foreign-owned strategic assets.
NZ First would also apply strict controls over further foreign takeovers of New Zealand assets.
And he made a play for the Maori vote.
"Keep what is best in our culture and keep striving to improve our health, our education and employment opportunities."
Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons said her party was ready to sit at the cabinet table if it was asked and the Greens offered a policy agreement that met the present and future needs of the country's children.
The Greens opposed plans of both Labour and National to take New Zealand into a free trade agreement with the United States.
Only the Greens would build a "decent" public transport system.
