-
Related
On Wednesday it was the young and on Thursday it was the elderly being targeted by political parties gearing up for the election.
Helen Clark took her message to Nelson, urging senior citizens flirting with National and New Zealand First to stick with Labour.
Labour's leader was on the countdown to election day and with her party falling behind National in the polls, she is likely to leave the election as late as possible.
This means voters may be in for a 10 week campaign, with some hints that foreign policy will loom large in the campaign.
"Young New Zealanders were not sent to Iraq because it was wrong to go there," Clark said...but it was not young kiwis but the elderly who were in her sights.
The Prime Minister was promoting a policy change, already announced two months ago, that would boost the super of about 2,000 people by $20 a week
Superannuitants who have a spouse in a rest home will now be entitled to the single rate of super, rather than having to split the married rate, which for some could mean an extra $1,000 a year.
The elderly vote is critical to Clark's goal of gaining a third term. Not only does Grey Power have 83,000 members but one voter in four is aged over 65.
"If there is a battle brewing for the superannuitant vote and if the super people remember what the old parties have not delivered then this battle's all over," says New Zealand First leader Winston Peters.
Peters is already pitching himself as the politician most likely to bring change, but Clark is urging the elderly to stick with Labour.
