Jacinda Ardern delays New Zealand elections by four weeks while crawling to deal with coronavirus outbreak in Auckland
- Jacinda Ardern has postponed New Zealand’s federal elections until October 17
- The decision was backed by opposition leader Judith Collins
- Auckland has been put on lockdown with 49 people infected with coronavirus
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has delayed New Zealand’s elections until October 17 following the outbreak of COVID-19 in Auckland.
New Zealand was set to go to the polls on September 19 until the country’s first community outbreak in 102 days.
However, Mars Ardern has chosen to postpone the interview by four weeks, responding to talks between the opposition and her deputy Winston Peters.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has delayed New Zealand’s elections until October 17 due to an outbreak of COVID-19 in the country
“I want to make sure we have a well-run election that gives voters all the information they need … and provides certainty for the future,” she said Monday morning in Wellington.
“I need to give security, a sense of honesty and a sense of comfort to voters to make sure this is a safe election.”
The Labor leader first announced September 19 as the date for a general election back in January.
The surprise return of the virus to Aotearoa the day before parliament was to be dissolved led to an 11-hour review of the poll date.
It comes after Auckland was put back in lockdown after a cluster broke out in the city that has now infected 49 people. Pictured is a test facility in Auckland
The Auckland outbreak has infected 49 people and prompted Ms Ardern to send the country’s largest city into lockdown.
Opposition leader Judith Collins, Mr Peters and the one-man party ACT have all campaigned for a delay in the interview.
Ms Collins also says a delay would be both ‘right and fair’, the latter suggesting Ms Ardern politically benefits from increased visibility during the outbreak.
The move to delay the election is backed by New Zealand opposition leader Judith Collins (pictured) who suggested that Mrs Ardern had an unfair advantage during the outbreak
Mr Peters, a politically motivated campaign first elected in 1978, has argued that an election in the current environment would suppress the turnout and its ability to woo voters.
‘Voters should be able to hear from all political parties about their COVID response and other policies. That’s honest, ‘he said.
‘But until Auckland’s alert level drops, the playing field is hopelessly compromised.’
Ms Ardern originally announced September 19 as the date for a general election in January before New Zealand fell into lockdown again. Pictured is a woman on an empty street in New Zealand during lockdown
Ms Ardern said Mr Peters ‘absolutely did not’ force her hand, saying she consulted all leaders of parliamentary parties without revealing her views.
“It would be completely incomplete that this decision is based on anything that could be seen as political partisanship,” she said.
Mrs Ardern’s decision means that Parliament will return on Tuesday and be dissolved on September 6.
First voting will begin on October 3rd.
The decision will mean that the Parliament of New Zealand will return on Tuesday and be dissolved on 6 September. Pictured is a police check in Auckland
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