Election 2023

Like so many of these things, a day or so after the big event is when you really get a measure of what is true and what is BS, or spin.   The PREFU was bad news.   The upside of the bad news was the Government argued and, sadly, the too many of the media, who either don’t have time to digest the real numbers, don’t care to digest the real numbers, or don’t know how to digest the real numbers, swal...

Now the National Party announced some weeks ago that should it become Government, a new medical school will be established at Waikato University. They've also said they'd add another 50 placements in Otago and Auckland from 2025.   Now Labour, in the midst of an unprecedented senior specialist strike, has woken up to the fact that we're short of doctors. Who knew? And has announced an extra 95 doc...

The divide between the right and left continues to grow heading into the election.   The latest 1 News Verian poll shows Christopher Luxon and Chris Hipkins are neck-and-neck in the preferred prime minister rankings: both on 23%.   But the right bloc is on 49%, well ahead of the left bloc on 41%.   Put to him that they had "less than no money" to run a country, Luxon said: "Yep. We're going to hav...

A medical school leader says they've been waiting to be allowed to train more doctors.   If elected, Labour's promised to train an additional 335 doctors every year from 2027, with numbers increasing from next year.   National previously announced a new medical school at Waikato University, which would provide 220 extra places by 2030.   Otago University Acting Dean of Medicine, Tim Wilkinson, tol...

A retired judge believes the public shouldn't be driving policy when it comes to law and order.   Party leader David Seymour wants to boost prison capacity by 500 beds and toughen sentencing for offending against vulnerable workers.   Act also wants new youth justice beds under Corrections and ankle bracelets on youth offenders.   Rosemary Riddell told Mike Hosking that what we need is prisons wit...

Tonight on The Huddle, Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers' Union and Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A weighed in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! Yesterday's PREFU was eye-opening, and it raised the questions: Should National revise their plan for tax cuts? Can we actually afford them? US News' Best Countries list has concluded New Zealand has amazi...

Did I have a debate on my hands when I got home last night about the country’s debt levels.  The husband gave me a huge telling off for saying yesterday that the Government had taken on too much debt.   So I feel like I need to clear this up : I don’t mind the level of debt New Zealand has . We've heard this a thousand times, but it’s worth saying again- we have very little debt in contrast to oth...

Another slide for Labour in tonight's One News-Verian poll, with the National Party up two points to 39 percent, and Labour down one to 28. The Greens and ACT are both down, on 10 percent. Winston Peters' New Zealand First is back in the game, up one to poll 5 percent. The Battle of the Chrises is neck and neck with both on 23 percent as preferred Prime Minister- Hipkins is up 2 percent, and Luxon...

Labour says the pandemic showed a need for more local healthcare worker training. The party's announced it'll train another 335 doctors every year from 2027- and increase medical school places from next year. Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says they've already increased the workforce by 2,000 people. "So I think the National Party's attack line - that this should've happened earlier - is negat...

ACT thinks more people should be in jail. The party's law and order policy would invest $1 billion into 500 more prison beds, and toughen sentences for offending against vulnerable workers. Leader David Seymour says the Government has tried letting criminals out of prison. He says a Ministry of Justice survey shows the result. "Victimisations are up by about 30 percent in 5 years, but the human pr...

Labour's pledging to lift medical school places by 95 a year from 2025, in New Zealand's largest boost ever. Chris Hipkins says if re-elected, they'll lift training 62 percent over the coming decade. Labour's extra places amount to 874 doctors trained each year by 2027- beating out National's promised 759 by 2030. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says this scheme is the latest strateg...

Questions over divisions within New Zealand. An Essential Research poll shows 77 percent of Kiwis believe the country is either a little more - or much more - divided, depending on their political stance. Labour and Green voters think there's less division, and National and ACT supporters say we are more so. Those aged 55-plus are the most concerned. Victoria University's Max Rashbrooke says he's...

In today’s Election Fix, Political Reporter Sophie Trigger tells us the reaction to Christopher Luxon’s walkabout around Auckland and breaks down Act’s suite of law-and-order policies. And Chief Political Correspondent Aaron Dahmen tells us about Chris Hipkins’ visit to Dunedin and how he dipped his toe into the student lifestyle. Plus, all your Election 2023 headlines. Election Fix is your daily...

Polls are coming in thick and fast as we head towards October 14th.   The latest is the New Zealand Herald's Poll of Polls, which combines results from a range of pollsters, specifically Curia, Kantar Public, Talbot Mills, and Reid Research.   According to the Poll of Polls, National and ACT’s chances continue to soar.   They have a 95.1% chance of forming a government if the election were held th...

So was this PREFU better than expected as a number of headlines suggested?   Answer: possibly. Possibly not.   What numbers were they looking at?   It's important to point out this is not retrospective. This is not stuff that has happened, therefore cannot be argued with.   This is a projection and the projection comes from Treasury. There are some numbers from their projections to ponder, such as...

MPs Megan Woods and Mark Mitchell joined the Mike Hosking Breakfast to wrap the week's political news. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and current affairs commentator Josie Pagani joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! This year's deficit is expected to be $10 billion, next year's expected to go up to $11.4 billion - Treasury reckons we've come out of recession but the next Government will have a tough battle on its hands to pay down d...

National's Chris Luxon has been quick to slam Labour's 'economic mismanagement' after the PREFU revealed Government debt has blown out further. Treasury's latest update is forecasting no recession, but shows the Government will be in deficit longer than expected and take on billions more debt. Luxon says Kiwis are worried about losing their homes and taking on second jobs as the Government continu...

The Finance Minister is standing by the Government's record, after Treasury today laid the books bare. The Pre-Election Economic and Fiscal Update suggest our recession's likely over, but shows the Government deficit will continue longer than predicted in the Budget. Debt's now expected to peak at 22.8 percent of GDP by 2025. Grant Robertson says our Government borrowing wasn't for nothing. "Lots...

National's promising to spend our money on the right things, if elected next month. Treasury's today revealed the Pre-Election Economic and Fiscal Update. It suggests our recession's likely over - but shows the Government will be in deficit for longer, and take on billions more in debt. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says the Opposition's now crunching its numbers. "What Na...

In today’s Election Fix, Political Editor Jason Walls combs through the Pre-Election Economic and Fiscal Update – and gives us the Prime Minister’s reaction. And Chief Political Correspondent Aaron Dahmen has National’s reaction to the PREFU – and also gives us an insight into all the snacks Christopher Luxon is getting on the campaign trail! Plus, all your Election 2023 headlines. Election Fix is...

Well, good news last night for National.   Labour must be left wondering how many more election bribes they'll have to offer before voters begin to nibble. The latest Newshub Reid Research Poll that came out last night has seen National shoot up 4.3 points to 40.9%, and Labour suffered a 5.5% fall from the last Newshub poll, they're on just 26.8%.   But before gleeful right and centre right voters...

It was a beautiful sunny morning. But, even though it looked warm, it was still pretty chilly. And when Chris Hipkins looked out the window at his Christchurch hotel this morning he would’ve thought the same. That it looked like a beautiful spring day. But, as soon as he walked outside, he would’ve realised that it wasn’t and there was still a chill in the air. Except for him, it wouldn't have bee...

Chris Hipkins joined John MacDonald live in studio to discuss poll results, crime, and economic management. Plus, Labour’s strengths, weaknesses, and what Hipkins have left in the tank.   LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour has plunged 5.5% in the latest Newshub-Reid Research poll, taking the party to just under 27% support.   National has shot up to 40.9%, while ACT's on 10%, the Greens 12.3% and New Zealand First is tip-toeing up to the threshold at 4.6%.   Former Senior Ministerial Advisor for the National Party Brigitte Morton told Kate Hawkesby that it’s a significant swing and is likely to stabilize back...