[ad_1]
Kia ora koutou, and welcome to the first installment of The Guardian’s weekly briefing on the New Zealand elections. am She huntsand I am pleased to keep you posted on this campaign through October 17 with input from my brilliant colleagues. Eleanor Ainge Roy Y Charlotte Graham-McLay.
No matter what happens next, this is already a historic election, taking place in the context of a global pandemic and Aotearoa’s first recession since 2008. It will decide not only the next parliament, but also referendums on the election of the end of life and the legalization of cannabis.
And it got off the ground in earnest this week, if not by all accounts, with a particular punch, with the opening leaders debate on TVNZ1 Tuesday night.
‘I feel like they’re both on autopilot’
So suggested John campbell of Jacinda ardern Y Judith Collins‘performance in the middle of the debate, later justified in his quote: “I would not mind a gin” resulting in the most resonant of the night.
No real new policy emerged, and Ardern reiterated Labor’s commitment to work toward 100% renewable energy, cleaning up waterways, raising the minimum wage, more public housing, and free school lunches. The work is also intended to tax top 2% income earners even more to pay off debt.
Collins spoke of giving middle-income tax cuts, cuts in public spending, reviewing recently introduced freshwater reforms (and repealing the irrigation ban), and greasing the gauge wheels for new housing and agriculture.
The consensus seemed to be that, in a debate that never got off the ground, Collins inched toward victory through force of will. (Certainly, if the metric of success is social media activity, with lots of memes made of his self-conscious aside, “My husband is Samoan, so … talofa”).
Writing for The Guardian, Steve Braunias he described the debate as “somewhat lacking in spark” and “not a horror show.” Ardern defended his performance in silence: “Politics is not a blood sport”, to which Collins later said: “Poor thing”).
Energy was not the only glaring absence. Leonie haydenSpinoff editor Ātea wrote that the responses of both leaders assumed a “blissful, alternative, Maori-free universe.” (El Hui is broadcasting debates of Maori candidates.)
‘Let’s keep moving’
Ardern’s final statement speaks to the challenge for National: how to undo the government’s apparent success against the coronavirus. The restrictions that followed last month’s second wave were lifted on Monday, although some will remain in Auckland for two more weeks. Charlotte Graham-McLay’s analysis of the two parties’ contrasting approaches to recovering from Covid-19 suggests the Labor angle of “results [that] speak for themselves ”has cornered the opposition. But in The Spinoff, Hayden donnell suggests that the government’s success has left it without “the courage to improve life.”
‘Break it up and start over’
National’s proposed sweetener was a package of short-term tax cuts, valued at $ 4.7 billion, to enrich the average worker by $ 50 a week, but successive budgeting mistakes have dull it. Finance Spokesperson Paul goldsmith has admitted the mistakes, totaling at least $ 8 billion unaccounted for, but says they won’t affect the proposed cuts. Like things Thomas coughlan he says, that’s less important than the “embarrassing mistake.” Finance Minister Grant Robertson is already making hay, describing the Nats’ plan as first “tattered” and, today, “chaotic.”
‘Dirty dairy’
The workforce consists of allocating at least $ 50 million to help farmers make the transition to environmentally friendly farming practices. The “integrated farm planning” policy announced Thursday follows National’s attempt to claim that Ardern called agriculture “a world of the past” in the debate, sparking some discontent, although Ardern was clearly referring to outdated practices within the Agriculture. National’s commitment to farmers is to cut red tape, including repealing the Resource Management Law and changing the Zero Carbon Law, and allowing foreign workers to enter the country. Collins is also playing with their hearts, describing farmers as “climate change warriors” (despite agriculture’s contributions to emissions) and herself, its champion.
What the polls say
According to 1 News Colmar Brunton’s poll ahead of Tuesday’s debate, Labor is 48% and National is 31%. In the preferred prime minister rankings, Ardern has held steady at 54% since June. Collins has fallen to 18%, a drop of 2%.
Minor parties have seen an increase since the last poll at the end of July, with support for the Act rising to 7%, which equates to nine seats in Parliament, and the Green Party at 6%, enough to ensure their return. .
Going up
The next key debate is the Young Voters debate on Monday, hosted by Jack tame. It will be broadcast on the social media channels of 1news.co.nz and 1 News.
The second leaders debate between Ardern and Collins will take place on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., moderated by Patrick Gower. All discussions will also be updated on TVNZ OnDemand.
Voting abroad also opens on Wednesday.
Picture of the Week
The phrase
I would never encourage anyone to tattoo me on their person, on their thigh or anywhere else.
That’s what Ardern said, in response to an election campaign love affair between Collins and a man with his gun image tattooed on him. Nik Given told Radio New Zealand that the tattoo took about six hours and “a few whiskeys.”
The tweet
Jo moir
(@jo_moir)David Seymour heads to Highland Racecourse to drive the ACT bus. He thought he could put his foot on the ground so he told me to come and put my life at risk, only to be told that I couldn’t go more than 40km / h 😂 pic.twitter.com/7aGEFPPsfz
New Zealand Radio Jo moir, in the election campaign in Queenstown with Act’s David seymour, caught this moment of bliss. (There is also video.)
The moment
It never hurts to have another set of eyes on something before printing it and pressing it into people’s palms, as a national candidate Simon Bridges learned this week. While promoting talks in Tauranga, where he is the incumbent MP, Bridges handed out handfuls of brochures with the invoice for “Simon Brigdes.” When asked by 1 News about it, Bridges presented it as authentic authenticity: “Grassroots politics isn’t always perfect,” he said, “but it’s always real.”
I will see you again
[ad_2]
