Free ice-cream, llamas for poor children and tax hikes for the poor are among the policies of the Civilian Party, New Zealand political satirist Ben Uffindell says.

Mr Uffindell told TV3’s The Nation he would lower taxes for the rich and raise them for the poor, because paying less tax encouraged people to be poor “because it’s a financially rewarding position to be in”.

However, the party would give every poverty-stricken child a llama, he said.

“Children in poverty, it’s not their responsibility. They’re not old enough yet to go out and become a CEO … so they need a financial basis with which to start.”

The party had costed $NZ17.7 million ($A16.48 million) for free ice-cream, but it wasn’t a free-for-all for New Zealanders, who eat on average 23 litres a year, Mr Uffindell said.

“We’re not saying we’re going to fund every New Zealander’s ice-cream habit, I think that’s untenable. What we’re saying is that every New Zealander has the right to one tub of ice-cream at the expense of the government.”

The party also wants New Zealand independence from Hamilton, because the amount of power saved if all New Zealanders used energy-efficient bulbs was equal to the amount Hamilton spent on power a year, he said.

“So instead of using energy-efficient bulbs, why don’t we just get rid of Hamilton.”

Mr Uffindell said he felt his party was on track to get 500 people to join, so it could register as a political party.

Based on Civilian Party registrations and the number of people who read the website, the party should get “844,000 votes and will probably be the next government”, he said.

Humour was really important for the election, Mr Uffindell said.

“We all need to laugh and we all need to take ourselves a little bit less seriously and have fun in an environment that is too often too serious and too hostile and that’s why it’s great that the Conservative Party is bringing that in this election.”