Election 2023

Parliament has officially wound up today. New Zealand Herald Extraordinary Phillip O'Shea headed procedures earlier today, despite Parliament officially closing last week. A new Taxpayers Union-Curia poll has spelled turmoil for the Labour Party. It's put the party at 27 percent - no change from last month - but well behind National at 35 percent. But Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says his election...

If you are a parent or a grandparent worried about whether our schooling will teach your child to read properly – you need to listen to this. Good education announcement from National today. I have been waiting for anyone to announce this for a couple of years now. So I'm pleased someone’s finally done it. If the Nats win the election, they will require all primary schools to teach little ones to...

Newstalk ZB Political Editor Jason Walls and Wellington City Councillor Nicola Young join Nick Mills on Friday Faceoff. Together they critique the first week of the 2023 election campaigns, whether it's possible for National to get construction going on a second Mount Victoria tunnel, Foodstuffs taking the city council to court over the Thorndon Cycleway and plans to build a charity hospital on Ad...

Labour's self aggrandising press release on police came through late in the show yesterday, so we didn't really get a chance to get our teeth into it.   The press release came from Chris Hipkins, well his office. A Labour Government will deliver a further increase of 300 additional frontline police officers, new ways to crack down on gangs, and strengthen legal protections against stalking and har...

Here’s what Chris Hipkins should have said when he made the big announcement yesterday that, if Labour gets to form the next government, it will deliver 300 extra police officers and they’ll have a look at legislation to crack-down on gang convoys. What he should have said, is: “If you vote for us, we will finally give you what you assumed we were going to give you, until you realised at the last...

So week one of the campaign, well I call it week one because the two major parties had their launches. Of course, they've been campaigning for months, unless you are Chris Hipkins who upon receiving a poll a week or so back claimed he hadn't campaigned at all, until Megan Woods on this show busted him. He showed ironically that same trait this week when he started defending Willie Jackson, who bla...

The National Party is promising to build a new “Great Walk” as part of its new tourism policy.   It's planed an $14m upgrade the 80km Waiau-Toa/Molesworth walking track in Canterbury, creating the 11 th Great Walk.   Hurunui Mayor Marie Black told Tim Dower that having a track of this distinction in their district would be a significant boost for the local and regional economies.   She said that t...

National says we should be the safest country in the world, but we're not.   If elected, Labour's announced a plan which would boost Police numbers by 300 over four years and tackle gangs.   It would allow Police to go after convoys and confiscate cars, motorbikes, and tractors.   National’s Justice Spokesperson Mark Mitchell told Mike Hosking that they have their own announcement to make soon.  ...

Labour's law and order policy would allow Police to confiscate cars, motorbikes, and even tractors.   Police Minister Ginny Andersen says it's designed for large scale convoys going through public roads, disrupting people's daily lives.   Criminal lawyer Steve Cullen told Tim Dower that it appears they'll come at them after the fact.   He says they will have to show there's a breach of the road la...

Really? New Zealand First... really?   I mean, I know it's a pretty desperate time... we're all a bit lost and confused and disappointed, frustrated and seriously peed off at the state of the country right now.   But to see a poll showing New Zealand First potentially over the five percent threshold? I guess it shows how desperate things are for a lot of people.   It's not my place to tell you how...

Tonight on The Huddle, former Labour chief of staff and Maxim Institute director Tim Wilson joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Labour leader Chris Hipkins has apologised today - after his party released social media ads with misleading information about National's plan to scrap the first-year fees-free policy for tertiary education. This is on top of Willie...

More trouble for the carbon credit scheme that Labour wants to use to fund climate initiatives. The Government has tried - and failed - a third time to auction off credits, giving businesses the right to emit carbon dioxide. This means Treasury is now short over $900 million ahead of Tuesday's Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update. The Country's Jamie Mackay says the credits will be available to...

Claims truth is the first casualty of the election season. Labour leader Chris Hipkins has had to apologise for the actions of several party members, with inaccurate information being shared about National and ACT's plans for the country. Willie Jackson found himself in hot water over his claims about minimum wage, junior staffers have been exposed lying about the opposition's plans for student lo...

National's transport spokesman has labelled Auckland Light Rail's commercial building purchase 'shocking'. Auckland Light Rail has signed a $33 million contract to buy the Kiwi Bacon Building, located on New North Road. That's despite National vowing to scrap the $14.6-billion-dollar project if elected next month. Simeon Brown says the Government has had six years to deliver and hasn't presented a...

The Police Minister says bolstering the police force will help New Zealand tackle a complex crime situation. Labour has promised 300 more cops over four years if re-elected. It's on top of about 1800 more staff coming on board since Labour won the 2017 election. Police Minister Ginny Andersen says it will make a material difference. "Those extra police officers mean that when people call the phone...

This week on Behind the List, Newstalk ZB's Senior Political Correspondent Barry Soper digs into the first week of the Election 2023 campaign.  He speaks to both Labour and National's Campaign Chairs, Megan Woods and Chris Bishop.  Soper challenges Woods over Labour's misinformation this week and questions Bishop on National's claim this is the most negative campaign in modern history.  The season...

Newstalk ZB Political Reporter Sophie Trigger joins Nick Mills on the Beehive Buzz. This week she discusses how each major party is performing in the lead up to the 2023 election, the reaction to the CTU attack ads on Christohper Luxon, and an ongoing Trade Dispute between Canada and New Zealand which has now been resolved. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Now this is more like it team!     Leaders of Labour, National, and the Green Party all pledged last night to build at least another 1000 state houses a year in Auckland, if they win the election, in whatever configuration. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, National’s deputy leader Nicola Willis, the Greens Co-leader Marama Davidson were guests at the launch in Māngere of Te Ohu Whakawhanaunga Tāmaki...

My policy of the week, and this may or may not become a thing for the next couple of weeks depending on the quality of what we see, goes to Act and their productivity ideas.   That’s not to say a tunnel in Wellington isn't a solid idea, but it's not hard to announce a tunnel.   Productivity is one of the great handbrakes on allowing this country to be great. We have talked about it for years and f...

Labour's defending its plan to grow the economy, saying it's about capitalising on strengths rather than playing the same old tune.   The five point plan includes growing an export-led country, boosting renewable energy, enhancing tourism, and focusing on sustainable agriculture technology.   Labour Finance spokesperson Grant Robertson told Mike Hosking that New Zealand's always been an export nat...

Tonight on The Huddle, Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A and Ben Thomas from Ben Thomas PR joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Chris Hipkins has had to apologise for the actions of another MP, this time Willie Jackson. Jackson claimed ACT and National would get rid of the minimum wage. Is Labour's campaign out of control? Labour has laid out a...

ANZ economists are warning that taxpayers may have to cover the extra interest accumulated on Government debt. If the Treasury has to issue more bonds than the market wants, the price of the bonds will fall, and their yields will rise- which will cost taxpayers. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny says the Government is bringing in less tax revenue that expected as the economy sl...

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has laid out a five-point economic strategy for Labour's third term in Government- if the party's re-elected. Hipkins promised he'll lead a delegation to India to foster relations and eventually establish a trade deal. $100 million will also be spent on Venture Capital Fund for investment in agri-tech, to encourage innovation. ZB senior political correspondent Barry So...

National's Nicola Willis is promising a 'competitive, cost-effective' scheme that will benefit Kiwi motorists. Leader Chris Luxon is pledging to deliver 10,000 EV chargers over the next 4 years, at a cost of $257 million. National also seeks to dump Labour's clean car discount scheme. Nicola Willis says National will collaborate with the private sector to deliver a competitive bidding process that...

Willie Jackson maintains he's not deliberately disseminating disinformation - but says everyone's having an election year biffo. During a debate last night, Senior Labour Minister Jackson incorrectly maintained ACT and National planned to abolish the minimum wage. Jackson later clarified he was being facetious. He said he was in the heat of the moment, though he also agrees Kiwis should be aware o...