Election 2023

New Zealand First has confirmed it's not putting out a fiscal plan this election that would detail funding for its promises.  The plans also allocate extra spending during the term.  So far, they've been released by Labour, National, and ACT.   Costly NZ First policies this election include buying the Bank of New Zealand.  Winston Peters says that could cost as much as $15 bill...

In podcast 349 we continue our series featuring long-serving politicians who know the game inside out, and have a real contribution to make. This week we chat with political veteran John Banks on politics and principles for living. He has dedicated most of his life to politics, devoting a lengthy term to Parliament in Wellington and to the Mayoralty of Auckland. His contribution this week includes...

What are the rules of engagement in this election campaign?  Prominence was given by media for a good chunk of yesterday to Kieran McAnulty's crack at Christopher Luxon and how Kiwi families were $6000 worse off under National.  Now for a start, it isn't National, it’s the Government, and the Government is three parties.  So McAnulty got his headline. If you don’t read past a headli...

School leaders want more information from Labour on its plan to scrap a mandated hour of reading, writing, and maths in schools, while achievement results are improving.  Leader Chris Hipkins announced last week teachers would be given more choice over how they spend their time.  But a Curia Market Research poll shows 74% of Kiwis support the mandated hour policy.  Secondary Princip...

Today on Politics Wednesday, National’s Mark Mitchell and Labour’s Ginny Andersen joined Mike Hosking to break down the biggest stories of the week thus far.  They discussed the latest education results, and whether political debates in their current form are still worth it, or if they’re just a waste of time.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TVNZ hosted a debate with the minor parties, sparking conversations on who performed the best. And, statistics on how kiwis make their onion dip propmted listeners to share their recipes. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The latest 1News-Verian poll has National and Labour tied on 28 percent - and Opportunity in the kingmaker position again. This data indicates both the left and right blocs would need Opportunity’s support to hold a majority in the House. The Country's Jamie Mackay unpacked the data further.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you're a regular listener, you'll know we've spent a lot of time predicting that voters would hate Chris Hipkins' claim in the TVNZ leaders' debate that he would scrap the hour of reading, writing and maths for kids. And now I have the numbers to prove that prediction was bang on. I've been given a copy of a poll conducted by Curia in the days after that debate and it shows that 74 percent of K...

The Labour Party released their 'Cost of Luxon' document earlier today - which claimed a family with two children was paying $6235 more per year during Luxon's time as Prime Minister. However, leader Chris Hipkins later conceded the party’s calculations did not include reductions in mortgage rates or the Government’s tax cuts. Labour campaign chair Kieran McAnulty says the party also didn't factor...

A new poll's showing overwhelming support for keeping mandatory hours of reading, writing and math in schools. Labour leader Chris Hipkins said in last week's TVNZ leaders debate, they'd let teachers choose how to deliver the subjects.  A Curia Market Research poll has since found 74 percent support the requirement.  Parents' Alliance executive director Anya Zohrab says she thinks educat...

Labour has launched an attack on National's track record on the cost of living. It's released a 'Cost of Luxon' document, totalling increases for power, doctors' visits, petrol, public transit, and rates. It claims the average two-parent, two-kid family is paying $6235 more per year compared to the last election. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan has labelled this 'desperate' and says Lab...

I've seen a few posts on my social media over the past month from young people moaning that "they're locking us out of voting". They, presumably being the rich white patriarchal establishment, us, presumably being the 18 to 24 year olds. What absolute hogwash. Yes, the rules around enrolment have changed and same day enrolment is no longer possible, but they are doing everything they can to get yo...

The Greens want to keep a tight rein on AI.  The Party wants people held accountable for decisions made using Artificial Intelligence, and to have a public register of AI systems used by Government agencies.  It wants people to be able to opt-out of AI-assisted decision making and wants to put a pause on hyperscale data centres.   Green Party MP Lawrence Xu-Nan told Andrew Dickens A...

ASB says elections aren't usually a handbrake for business or household decisions.   Fresh analysis from the bank has found activity doesn't tend to slow down before an election or speed up right after one.   Senior Economist Mark Smith says there were two exceptions around the 2008 and 2020 elections but adds that was probably because of the GFC and the pandemic.  Business Canterbu...

A tax expert suggests National's trademark tax relief seems a fair way off, with little wiggle room in its fiscal plan. The Party says it can't offer tax cuts until it gets on top of debt.  It says all its commitments are costed, matching Labour's $2.4 billion Budget operating allowance.  Tax expert Geof Nightingale told Andrew Dickens the $7.5 billion left over arrives in 2029, so it's...

New research suggests people aren't waiting around for the election to make big financial decisions.   ASB analysis of the last 20 years of elections shows spending and investment don't tend to slow down just before elections or speed up right after them.   Senior Economist Mark Smith told Mike Hosking while there are some differences due to things like the Global Financial Crisis and Co...

National claims it has a credible path for paying down the country's debt.   The party plans to keep the Budget operating allowance at $2.4 billion —matching Labour's— and return to surplus in two years.   It would cut foreign aid and welfare spending to fund its election commitments, with $7.5 billion left over.   Tax cuts are off the table until New Zealand's in the black.  F...

A business think tank says there's not much different in National's fiscal plan from its budgets of the past couple of years.   The party wants to keep the operating allowance at $2.4 billion, with all commitments funded and $7.5 billion left over.   It suggests tax relief won't be on the table until debt's paid down.   New Zealand Initiative Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson told Mike...

With National finally releasing its fiscal policy it’s easy to generalise the plan as more of the same. We’ve already seen and the only difference with Labour is that they are in love with pay equity which comes at a huge cost and leaves the whole balancing act with very little wriggle room. But the enormous ogre under the bridge is the rapidly expanding cost of superannuation.  How long are...

A slew of topics crossed the airways on Marcus Lush Nights this Monday with sleeping temperatures, election apathy, a too-hot stadium, heat pump dryers, and grandparents names on the table for discussion.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I don't want to bring you down but do you realise we have almost four full weeks of this crap ahead of us? Unbelievable. Four weeks of small-beer politics about the price of airline tickets and school uniform logos. Honestly, is that what the contest for control of our central government has come down to? How many logos you're allowed to have on your school uniform? Now, that's not to say it's not...

The National Party has confirmed it doesn't have a firm policy on the Super age this election. It's campaigned in the past on gradually raising entitlement to 67 - which is still the position.  But it isn't part of the Party's fiscal plan, out today.  Finance spokeswoman Nicola Willis says there needs to be consensus.  She told Heather du Plessis-Allan she can't dance alone - and wh...

An economist wonders if some political parties are too relaxed about the growing pension bill.  National's confirmed it's not campaigning on raising the Super age -- an issue it's campaigned on for the past three elections. ACT is the only other party with the same goal. Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen told Heather du Plessis-Allan he's concerned some politicians are blind to the i...

Every Monday until the election The Front Bench will take on the biggest talking points of the election campaign. Heather du Plessis-Allan, Newstalk ZB Senior Political Correspondent Barry Soper, Sherson Willis' Trish Sherson and Childfund CEO Josie Pagani have the insight and analysis as the campaign rolls on.  This week on The Front Bench, Heather asks the panel whether they think the campa...

Well, it looks like a matter of when, not if, given that Barbara Edmonds and Nicola Willis, Finance Minister and Finance spokesperson respectively, were appearing on Jack Tame's Q&A yesterday, and they've agreed they'll work together on the future of superannuation in this country. This is Nicola Willis: "We can afford superannuation right now, but in the future the settings are going to have...