The Wire

Over the weekend, Labour and National, the main parties contesting the New Zealand election, formally launched their election campaigns. Speaking at the Labour launch, Prime Minister and leader of the Labour party, Helen Clark said she wanted New Zealand to be “a beacon of light” and a “sanctuary in a troubled world”. Across the road, at the Sky City casino, leader Don Brash said he was campaigning for New Zealand to have “living standards at least equal to Australia”. This election promises to be a very close contest. Having consistently polled at 50% throughout their six years in government, over recent months support for Labour has fallen to around 40%. Labour has started to creep ahead again over the last couple of weeks and now eight points separates Labour from its main political rival, the conservative National party. Sarah Greenlees asked Colin Espiner, Political Editor of the Christchurch Press, how he would account for Labour’s recent improvement in the polls?