Coverage of the Election 2011 campaign for November 23.
6.20pm: TVNZ's political editor Guyon Espiner discusses a new ONE News Colmar Brunton poll.
National slipped back slightly in the poll to 50%, he says, with Labour at 28 per cent, grabbing votes off the Greens.
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Espiner says the Conservatives, polling at 2.4 per cent, are the other stand out result in the poll. He says "could John Key have picked the wrong party to have the cup of tea with"?
Read more political analysis from Espiner here.
5.50pm: Labour candidate Jacinda Ardern says industry trainee numbers have fallen by 31 per cent under a National government.
"In the past year alone, the number of industry trainees has fallen by 16,000," she says.
Building and construction trainees have started to rebound slightly, says Ardern, but in Christchurch the numbers are still 43 per cent lower than when National came to office.
5.37pm: Tariana Turia calls for a transformational agenda for New Zealand and a push towards cultural competency.
"Nationhood is about recognizing the diverse strands that come together, and understanding the traditions, the worldviews and the unique values that the people hold dear to their heart," she says.
Turia says voting for the Maori Party will help secure a "collective vision for real change and self determination".
5.12pm: Hamish McDouall tweets a picture of him campaigning in Whanganui today.
5.05pm: "National wants to sell more assets," says Green Party leader Russel Norman. "Genesis Energy, Meridian, Mighty River Power, Solid Energy, and Air New Zealand are just the beginning."
Norman claims National is "ramping up" its privatisation agenda.
He calls for John Key to "tell the New Zealand public why his
ministers are receiving advice from Treasury on selling off more of
New Zealand's assets than he has publicly admitted".
"There is one way for National to clear this up - that is to
release the suppressed Treasury documents," says Norman.
4.33pm: "Judith Collins and her spin doctors have been forced into damage control mode" over claims the police have cancelled their intake of new recruits, says Labour candidate Grant Robertson.
Robertson says Collins hoped the decision would fly under the radar and now will "sling mud" to shift the attention from them being caught out.
John Key initially said is was an operational matter, says Robertson, then Judith Collins denied there was a freeze on recruiting.
"She keeps changing her story. If it was no big deal, why didn't she just come clean about it when the decision was made. She only confirmed it after being caught out by Labour," says Robertson.
4.10pm: Labour's finance spokesperson David Cunliffe says Key's promise of a 10 per cent cap on any one shareholder in asset sales will not convince anyone because it is "transparently a last-minute fig leaf to try to dampen public opposition".
"Nor is there is any evidence to give credence to his assurance that 85 to 90 per cent of the assets will remain in Kiwi hands. He can't convince Treasury and he can't convince the rest of us," Cunliffe says.
3.50pm: Phil Goff tweets he is at Hillside workshops in Dunedin.
3.27pm: TVNZ political reporter Jessica Mutch tweets a picture of the "Nat Bus" from the campaign trail.
3.17pm: Labour candidate Grant Robertson says National has left out three core policies that were raised in its last election campaign, relating to GP costs, retaining fee levels in tertiary education and keeping income-related rents.
Robertson says if National backtracks on any of these policy areas, it will have "a significant adverse impact on thousands of Kiwis and their families".
He says "I hope the silence means nothing, but given the priority National has given to tax cuts that have favoured the wealthy, it really does call into question their commitment to these policies."
3.04pm: There is a "clear issue of equity" which must be addressed for health workers in Maori and Iwi health providers, says the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO), and the Maori Party clearly understands the issue.
Maori health workers "have the essential skills, qualifications and experience but are being paid significantly less than their colleagues in other parts of the health sector," says NZNO spokesperson Kerri Nuku.
A key platform of the Maori Party manifesto is for equal pay for Maori health workers.
"This policy from the Maori party clearly illustrates that they understand that there is a clear issue of equity which must be addressed," says Nuku.
2.58pm: The Green Party tweets: "Ombudsman's office refuses to release Treasury documents about state asset sales. More soon. #votenz"
2.35pm: John Key tweets he arrived to a "warm welcome in Bulls & Wanganui. People very receptive to our plan for less debt, more jobs, and strong, stable Government. #VoteNZ."
2.00pm: UnitedFuture's Peter Dunne is vying for partnership with the National Party, saying "UnitedFuture is a proven ally".
He says a Labour-NZ First-Mana-Greens coalition would be a "catastrophe" if National dips a point or two.
"That's a nightmare scenario and the centre and centre-right need to ensure that they get the government they want, and that John Key has the moderating support he needs for the next three years," says Dunne.
He says "UnitedFuture will help keep National to the centre, and promote policies such as Flexi-Super, Income Sharing and an annual State of the Family report to hold government to."
1.40pm: ACT's speech on the economy today proposes to reduce government spending, bureaucracy and axe the emissions trading scheme.
Brash says to stop the exodus of New Zealanders to Australia, a taskforce should be established to measure the gap between Australia and New Zealand and reporting on it on a regular basis.
1.30pm: Steven Joyce, National's campaign chair, speaks out against Goff's claim about police staffing cutbacks under National.
"Two days out from the election, and once again Phil Goff and Labour are caught in another porkie which doesn't stand a moment's public scrutiny," says Joyce.
Joyce says telling "porkies" is a trend of Labour's campaign and has compiled a list of Goff's top dozen, listed here.
11.39am: Mana will hold a public meeting in Mangere tonight to explain its policy on Pacific immigration.
"Mana's policy is to treat people from the Pacific wanting to work here in the same way we treat Australians and for an amnesty for Pacific overstayers," writes Mana Party candidate John Minto.
The meeting will be held at 6.30pm, Nga Whare Waatea marae, 31 Calthorp Road, Mangere.
11.26am: Mana is the only party that does not treat child poverty as some sort of a numbers game, says Mana Party candidate Sue Bradford.
Bradford says she cringes when she hears other parties talking about it.
"They all say it is important, then go on to explain why they are not going to do anything about it until the economy is fixed, or exports increase, or they can fit it into their fiscal plan," she says.
"They just don't get it," says Bradford "You don't think about how the child fits in with your budget priorities, or balance their hunger up against a research and development programme, cleaning up a river or anything else."
11.20am: John Banks
posts on facebook:
"Two more sleeps and then we go to the polls for the most important
Election in 20 years. We have got momentum on the back of mid-week
polling that has us neck and neck. Saturday will be a great day for
the ACT team in Epsom. Thank you everyone for your support and
encouragement as always it is greatly appreciated and valued. Many
photos of all the young patriots that have given their time freely
to support the cause in Epsom."
Best, Banksie."
11.11am: Labour candidate Damien O'Connor tweets a picture of him on the campaign trail at Grey Life learning in Cobden.
11.06am: The Maori Party's aim is to get "the best deal we can for Maori, using whatever leverage we have", says the party's co-leader Pita Sharples.
He says the party has not yet decided to forge a partnership with the National Party and "people who say such things are wanting your vote".
10.51am: South Canterbury Finance represents New Zealand's "biggest corporate disaster and most expensive taxpayer bailout", says Labour finance spokesperson David Cunliffe, and Labour promises a major inquiry into its failure.
Cunliffe says the National Government "totally mismanaged the fiasco", ending up costing the taxpayer $700 million.
Labour's commerce spokesperson Lianne Dalziel proposes a thorough inquiry into the SCF bailout, including an investigation on whether taxpayer exposure has been minimised.
10.42am: The Green Party's Epsom candidate David Hay's chance of entering Parliament is "on the rise" says a Green Party spokesperson.
Hay says the party has "been listening to what New Zealanders want and that is reflected in the campaign".
"The central and local campaign teams have worked hard to make that connection. There is a huge wellspring of support out there," he says.
10.25am: Home Brew's anti-National song "Listen to Us" is posted on youtube.
10.20am: NZ First leader Winston Peters says although he will not join a coalition government, his party will go onto the opposition benches to support good ideas and vote against bad ones.
"We will not be part of a coalition government, but that does not mean we cannot or will not work with other parties in that government if their policies are in the best interests of the majority of New Zealanders," he says. "The Cullen Fund, Kiwi Saver and Kiwi Bank are but three examples of New Zealand First doing exactly that in the past."
10.06am: Hekia tweets a picture of "Smart young supporters seeking a brighter future!"
9.52am: The Green Party will hold a campaign close concert at lunchtime today at Q Theatre.
9.27am: Labour campaigners tweet to a video to " why your vote matters this Saturday".
9.26am: Labour Party leader Phil Goff tweets "in 48 hours the polls will open and you can cast your vote. The choice is clear. Give your two ticks to Labour!"
9.11am: Shutting down Moerewa School is "bloody mean-spirited", says Mana Party leader Hone Harawira.
He says the Minister of Education, Anne Tolley, shut down the school because it is a "beacon of opposition" to National Standards and "she wants to punish them".
Harawira says the school should be an example on how to run a high Maori population, low decile school successfully.
8.56am: The police force will be recruiting as usual next year, says National's Law and Order Spokeswoman Judith Collins.
Collins says "low numbers of police leaving the force means there will be a delay in the call-up of the first Wing of 2012 only".
"I appreciate Phil Goff is feeling desperate", she says, "but there's no need to go around making stuff up".
8.45am: Labour candidate Damien O'Connor posts on Red Alert blog the National Party is "too gutless to take on its mates with money but happy to kick around those who are so often trapped by circumstances".
O'Connor says this seems to be a National Party priority and New Zealanders should be "outraged".
8.32am: Facebook comments are still coming in about TVNZ's leaders debate held last night. A round up of some of the comments:
Helena Rogers says "Go Phil!! You owned Key and his unclear stuttering answers! Need someone we can trust with good values who don't beat around the bush. Sorry John! that ain't you!"
John Abel says "I like Labour's policy of capital gains tax, and i think they are right to tackle raising the superannuation age. But their blatant election bribes such as extending working for families to beneficieries show that they have no vision to address the real issues. When push comes to shove Labour either wants to give a handout or form a committee."
Jamie Baldock says "Lolz@ Baz & Zobra..you crack me up. When you wake up realise nothing is free and good thing come from hardwork and relentless commitment to acheive you may get off minimum wage. We all been there, just some us are more determined to succeed and build a future for our children. See ya,ll Saturday."
Zohra Trinder says "Funny this hard work rhetoric.... only from the nats. In a country where I also work hard (i know hard to believe) I want my taxes to go to improving this country for everyone... Even if that means paying more tax...
8.30am: Welcome to TVNZ's live coverage of election 2011.