Election 2023

There is an ad on the radio at the moment featuring a brilliant impersonation of Labour’s Finance spokesperson and current Finance Minister Grant Robertson. The Taxpayers Union is behind it. They’ve also got a website that goes with it and even have vehicles painted up, as if they are a legitimate business. They're calling it "Robbo’s Removal Company” and the gist of the whole thing is that Grant...

The 2023 election campaign is entering its final days.   With just three days left Labour and National have both descended into negative campaigning as they scrap for every last vote.   NZ Herald’s Deputy Political Editor, Thomas Coughlan, told Kerre Woodham that at the end of the campaign, they’ll tally the time they spent talking about each other versus the time they spent discussing their own p...

Now in the final week of the election campaign, Labour leader Chris Hipkins joined John MacDonald live in studio to discuss the issues that matter the most to Canterbury.   They discussed the state of the region’s afterhours care, whether there’s any fat in the public sector spending, and what will have to go in order to fund their GST policy.   Plus, does he think Jacinda Ardern’s support will he...

I'm not sure that MMP needed another reason to be hailed as a deeply flawed mechanism we voted for, not once, but twice.   I still argue we did it because we were too lazy to have a decent look at alternative systems way back when we were deciding we hated First Past the Post.   One of the more interesting factoids of the campaign was when James Shaw told us last week he had seen research that sho...

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

Tonight on The Huddle, broadcaster Paddy Gower and current affairs commentator Josie Pagani joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! The Israel Institute of NZ and Jewish Council are calling on the Government here to deem Hamas a terrorist organisation, and follow other Western countries in their condemnation. Should our Government do more in support of Israel? Ch...

National's Chris Luxon has promised to double the value of exports in 10 years, if elected. The party also vowed to pursue Free Trade Agreements, pump up our trade missions, and prioritise increasing trade with India. BusinessDesk managing editor Pattrick Smellie isn't too confident about National's proposal. "The fact is, New Zealand's export performance unfortunately hasn't changed very much in...

Chris Hipkins has locked in Saturday, November 25 as the date for the Port Waikato by-election. It's been triggered by the death of ACT candidate Neil Christensen - and is required by the Electoral Act. However, locals can still help choose the next Government before October 14. ZB political editor Jason Walls says there will be 121 MPs in Parliament by the end of the by-election, bucking the tren...

Chris Luxon is promising to double the value of New Zealand's exports in 10 years, if elected. National's also vowing to pursue Free Trade Agreements, pump up our trade missions and prioritise increasing trade with India. National trade and export spokesperson Todd McClay says the UAE is interested in doing an exclusive trade deal with New Zealand. "For the first time in a long time, they want the...

In today’s Election Fix, Political Editor Jason Walls talks through what he thinks may be the worst media stand up he’s attended in his career. He also previews The Press debate tonight. Newstalk ZB’s Political Reporter Sophie Trigger tells us about Christopher Luxon’s day of campaigning in Nelson – and the party’s latest policy announcement. And the Election 2023 headlines you need to know – incl...

Still more election news. It just gets weirder every day really.   The death of a respected and much loved community member in Port Waikato means a quirk of our election process will be triggered. The ACT party's Neil Christensen has died just a week before the election. And that means the electorate vote in Port Waikato will not count on Election Day, however, the party vote will still count.   N...

I think what stood out for me yesterday when Chris Hipkins was in the studio with Mike for a couple of hours, was how relaxed Hipkins was.   As the two hours slipped by, he seemed to get more relaxed, leaning back in his chair more and more, taking it easy. I wondered if the Coke Zero hadn’t kicked in, or maybe he was just tired, or maybe he’s just given up.   I mean don’t get me wrong, I thought...

National's Finance spokesperson is defending her party's fiscal plan in the wake of criticism from her opponents.   Labour is calling out the Nats' proposed public service cuts.   The party suggests National would have to cut $3 billion a year to the public services, alleging that even if all communications staff and advertising was cut from some ministries, it still wouldn't add up.   National's...

National's claims voters could be forced into a second election has been met with backlash from commentators. The party's expressed concern over not striking a coalition deal with NZ First and warned Kiwis may be required to vote again. NZME business commentator Fran O'Sullivan has labelled this threat 'gauche' and says National has no reason to scare people into voting. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudi...

Labour's Grant Robertson has labelled National's threat of a second election a 'panic move'. National leader Chris Luxon has warned of the possibility of an election do-over if NZ First is needed to form a Government. Robertson says this threat is a 'ridiculous situation' that National leaned into out of fear. "It's a completely ridiculous situation, it looks very panicky, very unstable. But that'...

The death of ACT's Port Waikato candidate Neil Christensen will trigger a by-election. The Electoral Commission says party votes in the electorate will count for Saturday's election- but those for a Member of Parliament won't. Chief Electoral Officer Karl Le Quesne says this has a flow-on effect. He says once the by-election is run and we know who the successful candidate is- that will result in 1...

New Zealand First's leader won't say how long it could take for them to strike a coalition deal if they hold the balance of power following the election. National has sparked fears there could be a long negotiation period if they can't form a Government with ACT alone. Winston Peters says they have a responsibility to deliver a strong, stable Government. "The reality is, if it takes time to get it...

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, former Business NZ CEO Phil O’Reilly and Auckland Councillor Richard Hills have the insight word and analysis.   This week the The Spinoff’s Editor-at-Large Toby Manhire steps in for Barry Soper. Our exp...

In today’s Election Fix, Political Editor Jason Walls talks trouble in paradise on the right of New Zealand politics. He talks Act playing the confidence-only deal card and also National’s warning there could be a second election. Newstalk ZB’s Joey Dwyer paints the picture of Chris Hipkins’ day of campaigning around Auckland Central and gives us an insight into the Labour leader’s rugby skills. A...

Well, here we are. Finally in the last week of an election campaign between the most incompetent cohort of politicians seen in a long time and wouldn't you know it, an international geo-political crisis just to accentuate that statement. Obviously, Nanaia Mahuta sympathises with Palestinians. She feels they've been colonised the same way Maori were. That doesn't make her an anti-Semite. BUT- you m...

  This time next week, this time next Monday, we'll have all had our say and the Government who will lead the country for the next three years will have been elected, or will it?   National and Labour have raised the possibility of another election if they fail to get the votes they need to form a government, if their partner parties fail to get sufficient votes to form a government.  Yet more pro...

Former TVNZ Political Editor Mark Sainsbury and former Labour Chief of Staff Mike Munro join Nick Mills for Politics Monday on election week.  Together they discuss the likelihood of a second election, what drives Winston Peters to be back in Parliament, whether National's tax plan was deceiving, and how the two major party leaders compare to each other.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener f...

One of the many things that are hopefully on the new government’s radar come October 15 is the state of our cities.   I mean yes our communities and our suburbs are in dire straits too getting ravaged by crime and unruly gangs in many places, but our CBDs are a mess - they’re unsavoury places.   They don’t feel safe anymore. I get people messaging me every day about the CBD, particularly Auckland,...

So do we have panic, or a cunning plan?   In a sign the campaign has gone way too long, the Labour Party are spending their precious energy banging on about National's tax policy.     They are suggesting they are now falling apart and are doing this, mainly because they don't want to talk about their record.   The prize for hyperbole over the weekend goes to Chris Hipkins, who saw a "resurgence" t...

Labour is angling for another go in Government.    The polls haven’t been kind to them as New Zealanders increasingly agree that it’s time for another party to give it a shot.    Chris Hipkins joined Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking for a rigorous interview to see if Labour is worth another term.    Hosking grilled the Labour leader on their key policies, getting right down to the gritty details and see...