GOOD MORNING, I AM REBECCA WRIGHT. AND I'M SIMON SHEPHERD. E NGA IWI O TE MOTU, WELCOME TO NEWSHUB NATION. COMING UP - NICOLA WILLIS AND GRANT ROBERTSON ARE HERE FOR OUR FINAL PRE-ELECTION DEBATE. WHO'S NAILING THE CAMPAIGN ONLINE - AND WHO'S GONE WEIRD ON TIKTOK? OUR DIGITAL POWER RANKINGS - ELECTION EDITION. AND FEAR AND LOATHING ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL - A SPECIAL REPORT ON MP SAFETY. CAPTIONS BY KITTY WASASALA AND KATE MCCULLOUGH. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2023 THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY NUMBERS THROWN AROUND THIS CAMPAIGN, EVERYONE'S HEADS ARE SPINNING. BUT WHAT THOSE NUMBERS MEAN TO EVERY DAY LIFE ARE IMPORTANT. SO WHO WILL YOU TRUST TO RUN THE COUNTRY'S FINANCES? LABOUR'S GRANT ROBERTSON OR NATIONAL'S NICOLA WILLIS? THEY ARE BOTH HERE THIS MORNING, TENA KORUA. WILL START OFF THIS WAY ` HOW IS IT POSSIBLE TO CUT OFF TAX REVENUE AND GET BACK TO SURPLUS? SO THAT MAGICAL THINKING. NICOLA, YOUR FIRST. WE HAVE TO RE-PRIORITISE AREAS OF SPENDING THAT AREN'T HAVING HIGHER GOVERNMENT AND BACKED. WERE PROPOSING REDUCING THE AMOUNT IT SPENT ON GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS. WILL TALK ABOUT THAT SOON. AND INTRODUCING NEW REVENUE MEASURES. WITHIN VERY CAREFUL TO PUT TOGETHER A PHYSICAL PLAN THAT ENSURES NOT ONLY DO WE MAINTAIN FUNDING FOR FRONT-LINE SERVICES, THAT WE INCREASE IT EVERY YEAR AND A BUDGET. WE PRESENTED AT THE SCHOOL PLAN THAT DEMONSTRATES THAT WE CAN BOTH INCREASE THE FUNDING FOR FRONT-LINE SERVICES, REDUCE WASTEFUL SPENDING, AND ALL OF THAT RELIES ON THIS. WE HAVE TO BE MORE EFFICIENT AND DRIVE MORE VALUE. NOW IT'S TIME FOR GRANT TO JUMP IN ON THAT. HE IS STARTING TO THE QUESTION OF WHETHER OR NOT IT'S MAGICAL THINKING EVERY ELEMENT OF ITS HAS BEEN CHALLENGED AND IS NOW UNDER QUESTION. THE FOREIGN BUYER TAXES UNDER QUESTION. YOU CAN'T DO WHAT YOU PROPOSED ON THAT QUESTION. WHEN NOT CUTTING TAXES, SIMON. BUT YOU ARE SPENDING MORE. AND NICOLA'S FISCAL PLAN, YOU HAVE A SITUATION WHERE YOU CAN CUT EVERY POLICY PERSON, EVERY PIECE OF ADVERTISING THAT THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE IS DOING AND YOU STILL WOULD BE 30 OR $40 MILLION SHORT. THAT A SERVICE CUTS. WESTPAC ANALYSED BOTH OF YOUR POLICIES THIS WEEK AND IT WAS GLOOMY. THEY SAID IF YOU MAINTAIN THE CURRENT LEVEL OF SERVICES, WHICH YOU BOTH SAY THAT YOU WILL DO, IS NOWHERE THAT YOU WILL GET BACK TO SURPLUS. CAN WE TALK ABOUT FISCAL PLANS FOR A MINUTE? TO BELIEVE WESTPAC'S FORECAST, YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT GRANT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HIS TENURE WILL STATED THE LIMITS THEY SET SELF. HE ALWAYS BREAKS HIS LIMITS. THAT IS TRUE, GRANT, ISN'T IT? WE'VE DEALT WITH THE CARDS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT IN FRONT OF US. WHEN NICOLA LOOKS AT THE EXPENDITURE PATTERNS AND THE LEVEL OF DEBT THAT COMES OUT OF THE OTHER END, AND THE UNEMPLOYMENT WOULD COME IN UNDER ON THESE TWO KEY METRICS, BUT WE DEAL WITH WHAT'S IN FRONT OF US. JUST LIKE STEPHEN JOYCE AND BILL ENGLISH, BUT ALSO SPENT MORE THAN THEIR BUDGETS. NICOLA HAS PROPOSED THAT THERE IS NOT ROOM FOR THAT INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC SERVICES. THE BALANCE OF WHAT YOU'RE ASKING ISN'T CLEAR. LET'S TALK ABOUT REAL-WORLD INFLATION, MORTGAGE AND INTEREST RATES. WESTPAC SAYS THERE IS NO CUT PROJECTED UNTIL 2025, SO HOW ARE BOTH YOUR POLICIES, WHICH ARE PUTTING MONEY INTO BACK PEOPLES LESS GOVERNMENT SPENDING MEANS LESS PRESSURE ON INFLATION AND INTEREST RATES. IN ADDITION, WE ARE CUTTING OUT WAYS FOR GOVERNMENT SPENDING. WHICH MANY ECONOMISTS, INCLUDING THOSE AT THE TREASURY, HAVE SUPPORTED. IN ORDER TO REACH THAT CONCLUSION, SAYS THAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SPENDING REDUCTIONS. WHAT IS THEN FORECAST IN THAT REPORT, I'VE READ IT IN FULL, IT WILL ACTUALLY BE LESS INFLATION RATE. IS ACTUALLY RELATIVELY SIMPLE. IF YOU PUT $20 BILLION OF OFFSHORE BUYER MONEY INTO THE PROPERTY MARKET, WHICH IS THE UNDERPINNING OF NATIONAL'S ENTIRE PLAN, THAT WILL BE INFLATIONARY, IT WILL LIFT HOUSE PRICES AT EVERY ECONOMIST HAS SAID THIS./ THAT WILL FUEL INFLATION FAR MORE THAN MODEST INCREASES IN GOVERNMENT SPENDING THAT WERE PROPOSING OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS. LET'S MOVE ON TO TAX AND GET OUT OF THE WAY, WE HAVE TO. SO EVEN IF GOVERNMENT WAS GOING TO GO DOWN THAT ROAD, IT'S LIKELY TO TAKE SOME TIME TO IMPLEMENT BECAUSE ALL OF THE SYSTEMS AND SO ON WOULD NEED TO CHANGE. AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S ON OUR SHORT-TERM WORK PROGRAMME AT THE MOMENT. WHAT DOES 'SHORT-TERM' MEAN? HOW DO YOU DEFINE THAT? WELL, DON'T EXPECT TO SEE ANYTHING IN THAT SPACE BETWEEN NOW AND THE ELECTION. I NEVER SAY NEVER ON THESE THINGS, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT. GST IS A VERY, VERY SIMPLE SYSTEM THAT WORKS WELL FOR NEW ZEALAND, AND ONCE YOU START GETTING INTO REMOVING IT FROM PARTICULAR PRODUCTS, IT BECOMES COMPLICATED. YOU HAVE TO MAKE TRADE-OFFS BETWEEN DIFFERENT THINGS, IS IT HEALTHY, IS IT UNHEALTHY AND WILL ACTUALLY THE BENEFIT OF THAT REALLY BE PASSED ON TO PEOPLE? COMPLICATED. YOU DIDN'T LIKE IT AND SO IT IS A LAST-MINUTE U-TURN TO PLEASE VOTERS. YOU ARE INTERVIEWING US THERE WHEN MINISTERS WERE REFLECTING ON THE POSITION OF THE GOVERNMENT. WHICH THEY SHOULD. YES, ABSOLUTELY. LET ME FINISH MY SENTENCE. THE COST OF FOOD IS WEIGHT WITH US ALMOST MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE. MOVING IT FROM JUST PUT VEGETABLES TO INCLUDING FROZEN FOOD. YOU JUST REFER TO THE GROCERY COMMISSIONER AS A TEAM. HOW MANY PEOPLE WITH CLIPBOARDS WILL HE BE RUNNING AROUND WITH? O, SO HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL BE IN HIS TEAM? THAT WILL BE SET BY THE COMMERCE COMMISSION. I THINK IT SUPREMELY IRONIC THAT YOUR DEBATING ABOUT THE COMMERCE COMMISSIONER JUST ASKING HOW BIG HIS TEAM AS, GRANT. GOING TO PUT IT. ON THAT AT THE MOMENT. HAVE YOU EVER THANKED NICOLA FOR RELEASING A GST POLICY? NO, LABOUR STANDS BEHIND A 10 POINT GST POLICY PLAN. NICOLA, YOUR TURN. HAS YOUR PARTY BUT UPFRONT WITH PROMOTING YOUR TAX PACKAGE OF $250 A FORTNIGHT? ABSOLUTELY. I DON'T WANT THE DETAILS, I WANT YOU TO BE UPFRONT. WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO LIST ALL OF THE OCCASIONS THAT CHRISTOPHER LUXON AND THE CALLER WILLIS HAVE NOT BEEN UPFRONT? OTHER THAN WHEN YOU INTERRUPTED ME DOING MINE. MR ROBERTSON... I'M GOING TO INTERRUPT THE BOTH OF YOU RIGHT NOW. AN AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD INCOME FAMILY WITH, LIKE, TWO YOUNG KIDS GETS $250 A FORTNIGHT. IT DOES GIVE AN AVERAGE INCOME OF A HOUSEHOLD FAMILY WITH YOUNG KIDS $250 EXTRA A FORTNIGHT. WHAT IS MISSING IN THOSE PHRASES ` ONE OF THOSE CLIPS IS ON INSTAGRAM RIGHT NOW. ON NATIONAL'S INSTAGRAM, CHOSEN AND HIGHLIGHTED, STILL NOT CORRECTED. VERY HAPPY TO LOOK INTO THAT. IT'S MISLEADING. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT NEW ZEALANDERS WATCHING THIS DEBATE UNDERSTAND HOW OUR TAX PLAN WORKS. LABOUR IS HAPPY TO OVERTAXED PEOPLE. THERE ARE WAYS THAT PEOPLE COULD QUALIFY FOR THAT'S 250. PEOPL THERE ARE WAYS THAT PEOPLE COULD QUALIFY FOR THAT'S 251 IS A REBATE. THE SECOND PART` ONLY 3000 FAMILIES ARE GOING TO GET THAT. 3000 GET THE TOP AMOUNT. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT WHETHER YOU HAVE BEEN MISLEADING AND PROMOTING THAT. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW THAT ENTITLEMENT WILL BE BROKEN DOWN. THE SECOND PART IS INCOME TAX REDUCTION. WE HAVE TARGETED OUR TAX REDUCTION AT A MEDIUM INCOME EARNER. SOMEONE ON $60,000 A YEAR COULD BE UP TO $50 A FORTNIGHT BETTER OFF. WE ARE NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH EVERY SINGLE TAX BAND THIS MORNING. WHICH IS WHY IT IS A SIMPLIFICATION. IT'S A SIMPLIFICATION AS IT NOW? I MISLEADING SIMPLIFICATION. WHEN YOU'RE EXPLAINING A TAX PLAN THAT VARIES BASED ON CIRCUMSTANCES, YOU DO NEED TO SIMPLIFY. I WILL ANSWER THE QUESTION BECAUSE SHE HAS NOT. IT IS MISLEADING STOP IT IS NOT A BRISCOES SALE. YOU CANNOT SAY UP TO $250. I AM IMPLYING ` I AM SAYING ` THE NATIONAL TAX PARTY POLICY IS MISLEADING, LIKE A BRISCOE'S SALES AD. IT IS MUCH WORSE THAN THAT, BECAUSE THE WHOLE POLICY DOES NOT ADD UP. IT WILL PUSH MORE KIDS INTO PROPERTY. INTO POVERTY*. I CAN SEE IN YOUR EYES YOU KNOW IT DOES NOT ADD UP. I SAID THE POLICY WAS A BRISCOE'S SALES AD. IF WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT BRISCOE'S ADS, LET'S TALK ABOUT YOUR ADS, WHICH HAD THE GST FRUITS AND VEGETABLES POLICY, ADVERTISING IS A 15% REDUCTION IN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. WILL THAT HAPPEN? IT WILL HAPPEN IF WE DRIVE THAT POLICY HARD. NO, IT WON'T. YOU HAVE MISLED NEW ZEALANDERS. WE HAVE TO MOVE ON. A LITTLE BIT MORE ON TAX, I'M SORRY. WHEN YOU ARE IN HIGH SCHOOL DOING MATHS EXAMS, WHAT THEY SAY TO YOU? THEY SAID SHOW YOUR WORKINGS. OCCASIONALLY, THEY DID. THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE. YOU HAVEN'T SHOWN YOUR SPREADSHEET OF YOUR WORKINGS. YES WE HAVE. YOU EITHER WANT AN ANSWER OR YOU DON'T. WE HAVE FOR EVERY COMPONENT OF OUR TAX PLAN RELEASED THE ANNUAL COSTS OF IT, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE WORKINGS OF THE FOREIGN TAX BUYERS. WE HAVE HAD IT EXTERNALLY REVIEWED BY EXPERTS. THEY HAVE TESTED OUR ASSUMPTIONS AND THINK THEY ARE REASONABLE, CAUTIOUS, CONSISTENT. ECONOMISTS FROM THE LEFT, CENTRE AND RIGHT HAVE SAID IT DOES NOT ADD UP. YOU WOULD NEED TO SELL $5 BILLION OF PROPERTY EVERY YEAR FOR EVER TO FOREIGN BUYERS. IT IS A BAD IDEA, IT WILL PUSH FIRST HOME BUYERS OUT OF THE MARKET. THE ENTIRE FISCAL PLAN IS A SANDCASTLE AND IT WILL NOT ADD UP. NEW ZEALANDERS HAVE BEEN MISLED. YOU ARE HAVING TO CLUTCH TO HYPERBOLE. EVERY ECONOMIST IN NEW ZEALAND IS TELLING YOU THIS. THAT IS INCORRECT. WE WANT TO OFFER INCOME TAX REDUCTION TO WORKING PEOPLE, AND HE WANTS TO TAX THEM. I WANT A POLICY THAT ADDS UP. NEW TOPIC. CLIMATE CHANGE. BOTH OF YOU CANNOT KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF THE CLAIMANT EMERGENCY RESPONSE FUND COOKIE JAR. YOU WANT TO USE IT TO PAY FOR YOUR TAX CUTS. YOU TOOK MONEY OUT OF THERE AND DID NOT TELL JAMES. WILL BOTH OF YOU NOT TAKE ANY MORE OUT OF THAT? I CAN GIVE YOU THIS COMMITMENT. IT IS BILLIONS OF DOLLARS. WE ARE COMMITTED TO THAT FUND. SO YOU WILL NOT RAID IT FOR OTHER REASONS? IT IS A VITAL PART OF US REDUCING OUR EMISSIONS, AND IT WILL CEASE TO EXIST UNDER NATIONAL. THE MOST EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR REDUCING EMISSIONS IN OUR ECONOMY, IS THE EMISSIONS TRADING SCHEME. IT EFFECTIVELY ADDS A PRICE, A CLEAR PRICE SIGNAL THAT THEY CANNOT RELY ON FOSSIL FUELS ANY MORE. BECAUSE THEY HAVE INTERVENED CONSTANTLY, IT HAS BEEN UNDERMINED. WE WANT TO TAKE THE REVENUE RAISED BY THAT SCHEME AND REDISTRIBUTE IT TO WORKING PEOPLE THROUGH INCOME TAX REDUCTION, A CLIMATES DIVIDEND. WE THINK THAT MAKES IT SUSTAINABLE, BECAUSE IT WILL ADD COSTS TO PETROL AND ELECTRICITY ` WE WANT WORKING PEOPLE TO STAY ON BOARD WITH US. WE DON'T WANT TO DO WHAT CHRIS HIPKINS AND GRANT ROBERTSON DID, WHICH IS INTERVENE, AND THEY ENDED UP IN COURT. SO YOU ARE NOT COMMITTED TO LEAVING IT ALONE? WE THINK THE RIGHT THING TO DO IS TO TAKE THE REVENUE CREATED BY THAT EXTRA TAX AND RETURN IT TO WORKING PEOPLE. IF NEW ZEALAND DOES NOT MEET ITS CLIMATE REDUCTION TARGETS, WE MAY BE UP FOR A BILL OF UP TO $3 BILLION. HOW WOULD YOU PAY FOR THAT BILL? THE TREASURY ADVICE IS THAT BILL SHOULDN'T BE PUT INTO THE FORECAST YET. WE SHOULD STILL BE WORKING TO EMISSION REDUCTION POLICY. NICOLA IS CORRECT. YOU HAVE TO KEEP WORKING AND DELIVERING CLIMATE ACTION. THAT IS WHAT IT IS FOR, ALL OF THAT GOES UNDER NATIONAL PLAN, AND THAT IS THE PROBLEM. IT IS FUNDING NATIONAL'S TAX CUTS. CLIMATE ACTION IS DEAD UNDER THEM. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO FUND IT? WE ARE GOING TO ELECTRIFY NEW ZEALAND AND DOUBLE RENEWABLE ENERGY. NEXT TOPIC` OUR NEXT TOPIC, EVERYBODY, CUT TO ME` THE COST OF COALITION. NICOLA, WINSTON PETERS WANTS TO PAY FOR EXTRA BEDS, RIGHT RELIEFS FOR PENSIONERS. WHAT IS YOUR WINSTON BUDGET? I AM NOT HAVING A NEGOTIATION NOW FOR SOMEONE WHO MAY OR MAY NOT BE THERE. THE FINAL POLL IS HAPPENING ON ELECTION DAY. BETWEEN THEN, I AM SAYING PARTY VOTE NATIONAL. HE WILL BE VERY EXPENSIVE. I DON'T KNOW THAT HE WILL BE THERE, SO I AM FOCUSED ON NATIONAL'S PLANS TO STRENGTHEN THE ECONOMY AND RESTORE LAW AND ORDER, AND DELIVER BETTER HEALTH SERVICES. AND WHEN HE COMES IN AND DEMAND SOMETHING` YOU COULD HAVE RULED WINSTON OUT, AS WE DID. WE HAVE BROUGHT ABOUT IN THIS CAMPAIGN. THIS IS THE THING, THE INTERESTING THING CHRIS LUXON A WEEK AGO SAID HE WOULD PICK UP THE PHONE TO WINSTON, THEN HAD TO HELICOPTER JOHN KEY IN TO SAY THEY DIDN'T REALLY MEAN IT. TE PATI MAORI, SPEAKS TAX-FREE THRESHOLD, THE GREENS WANT A BASIC UNIVERSAL INCOME PAID FOR BY A WEALTH TAX. YOU DON'T SUPPORT THAT. HOW WOULD YOU PAY FOR THAT EXPENSIVE STUFF? I HAVE BEEN IN THOSE COALITION NEGOTIATIONS. YOU SIT DOWN AND WORK THROUGH THE DETAILS OF WHAT YOU HAVE IN COMMON. THERE ARE BOTTOM-LINE SPICE THAT WE ARE CLEAR ABOUT, ONE OF THOSE IS A WEALTH TAX. CHRIS LUXON WILL HAVE RINGS RUN AROUND HIM BY WINSTON AND DAVID SEYMOUR. THEY DON'T USE COALITION OF CHAOS ANY MORE, BECAUSE THEY ARE TRYING TO GET RID OF WINSTON PETERS. I WILL GIVE GRANT SOME CREDIT ` YOU HAVE THINGS IN COMMON WITH THE GREENS AND TE PATI MAORI. BIG SPENDING AND INFLATION. WE SAVED 20,000 LIVES THROUGH COVID. I HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR YOU, ONE VERY FINAL VERY SERIOUS QUESTION. HOW MUCH CAPITAL AND OPERATING FUNDING WOULD YOU GUARANTEE TO SET UP THE JOHNSONVILLE AMATEUR DRAMATIC SOCIETY? I THINK WE CAN RUN THAT OUT OF OUR OWN POCKET. IF I AM ELECTED TO THE MP, I WILL BE WRITING TO GRANT, AND LET'S GET THAT SOCIETY GOING. I THINK WE SHOULD BOTH BE IN IT. YOU HAVE PROVEN THAT IN YOUR ADDITION TODAY. THANK YOU FOR THIS MORNING'S DEBATE. WE'LL BE BACK WITH OUR POLITICAL PANEL GUYON ESPINER, ANDREA VANCE AND RUTH RICHARDSON. BUT FIRST, WHO'S MAKING A SPLASH RAP SONG: # I don't even care I ain't never had manners # No way, no way # Yo! # Sitting while you rap 'cause we just can't... # (CHAIR MECHANISM SQUEAKS) VOICEOVER: From $2.50, introducing the Subway Value Bites range. HOKI MAI ANO, WELCOME BACK. VOTING IS UNDERWAY AND ELECTIONEERING HAS KICKED INTO OVERDRIVE ONLINE. CANDIDATES KNOW THIS WEEK'S THEIR LAST CHANCE AND IT'S GETTING SOMEWHAT SURREAL. SO HERE TO TELL US WHO'S UP, WHO IS DOWN AND WHO'S DOING WHAT ON TIKTOK IS DIGITAL EDITOR FINN HOGAN. FINN MORENA. MORENA, SIMON. TELL US WHO IS UP AND DOWN. OUR USUAL TOP 10 MAKES AN INTERESTING VIEWING. SEYMOUR IS HOLDING AND THAT SECOND SPOT BUT FOR THE FIRST TIME, HE IS REALLY HAVING TO WORK FOR IT AND HE IS POSTING NEARLY 12 TIMES A DAY ON AVERAGE, COMPARING TO 2 TIMES A DAY THE ATKINS. JENNY ANDERSON HAS BEEN OVER PERFORMING, AT HIS ALMOST MAKING A GAME OF PEOPLE WHO WANT TO TALK TO HER THE LEAST. ACTS POLLING TRENDS ` AT A REFLECTED IN THE PARTY PAGES? NATIONAL IS PRETTY FAR AHEAD ON EVERY METRIC THAT WE MEASURE AND ACT AS ON FIFTH. THERE POSTING NEARLY 12 TIMES A DAY AS WELL, WHICH IS NEARLY DOUBLE WHAT LABOUR IS POSTING. AS WE ARE GOING TO FIND OUT IN YOUR STORY SHORTLY, SIMON, MAKING A SPLASH ON SOCIAL DOESN'T NECESSARILY CHANGE LATE TO SUPPORT IN THE POLLS. NOW IS THE TIME TO SPEND THE MONEY AND THEY CERTAINLY ARE. MISSING NEARLY HALF A MILLION DOLLARS SPENT OF THE LAST MONTH. CHRIS LUXON, PAID FOR BY THE NATIONAL PARTY, IS PAYING NEARLY $1000 A DAY. IS STARTING TO SEE A PUSH BEHIND THE PERSONALITY PAGES AS WELL AS THE PARTY. WHAT DO THE TRENDS ON GOOGLE TELL US? WHEN ST PETER'S IS PRETTY WELL AHEAD OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKS, IN TERMS OF OVERALL SEARCH. YOU'VE GOT DAVID ON 14 AND THE REST ARE DOWN AND THE SINGLE DIGITS. BEING SEARCHED FOR DOESN'T MEAN SUPPORT, THAT WHEN ST PETER'S HAS BECOME THE DEFINING ISSUE HEADING INTO THIS CAMPAIGN. DOES NATIONAL NEED HIM OR NOT? NATIONAL, IN TERMS OF OVERALL GOOGLE SEARCH TRENDS, HAS BEEN PRETTY FAR AHEAD ALL YEAR LONG. INCUMBENCY MATTERS HERE. THAT'S GOOGLE. LET'S TALK TICK-TOCK. TICK-TOCK IS INCREASINGLY THE PLATFORM AND IT'S BASICALLY THE WILD WEST RIGHT NOW AND IT'S WHERE YOUNG VOTERS ARE, BUT NO ONE IS QUITE SURE HOW TO WORK AT. SOME OF THE CONTENT IS BIZARRE AND DEEPLY CHALLENGING. TICK-TOCK IS ACTUALLY BOUND ON PARLIAMENTARY DEVICES. TICK-TOCK IS OWNED BY A COMPANY THAT HAS TIES TO THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY. IS BOUND PARLIAMENTARY DEVICES BUT IS BEING USED HEAVILY WITH CAMPAIGNING. MAY BE LABOUR ARE JUST HALF AND HALF OUT BECAUSE THEY DON'T FEEL IT'S VERY PRIME MINISTERIAL. BUT THEY'RE MISSING A BEAT HERE BY NOT HAVING CHIPPY WEIGHED IN. AS EARLY AS MUCH WE CAN TALK ABOUT TICK-TOCK WITHOUT LOOKING AT THEM, SO HERE IS MY HIGHLIGHTS. THANK YOU,I THINK. ARE YOU THE KING OF THE ZINGER? YOU GOT A FEW GOOD LICKS IN THERE. I'M THE KING OF THE GINGERS. (LAUGHTER) YOU GOTTA TELL US WHO YOU'RE GONNA KISS, WHO YOU'RE GONNA MARRY AND WHO YOU'RE GONNA KICK. I'LL KISS HIM. YEAH, YEAH. NATIONAL'S GONNA REBUILD THE ECONOMY SO WE CAN REDUCE THE COST OF LIVING. IF WE CAN START RAISING PRODUCTIVITY WITH ICE CREAM SCOOPING, WHO KNOWS WHERE IT MIGHT LEAD? # POI, POI WHANA # POI, POI WHANA # DO YOUR JOB! YOU'VE ONLY GOT ONE JOB!WITHIN GET YOUR CONTRACTORS TO EARN THEIR LIVING! I'M MEREPEKA FOR ROTORUA. COME ON, WHANAU, JUST DO IT. (POP MUSIC) (POP MUSIC) WOW. I'M SPEECHLESS. WE DELVED DEEP SO YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO. NOT WEIRD AT ALL. YOU'RE WELCOME. A MURI AKE NEI, COMING UP ` OUR EXTENDED PANEL ` GUYON ESPINER, ANDREA VANCE AND RUTH RICHARDSON ON THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN HOKI MAI ANO. WELL, WITH CHRIS HIPKINS SIDE-LINED BY COVID, NATIONAL HAS BEEN FREE TO CAPITALISE WITH A STRONG CAMPAIGN PUSH. BUT THE PM CAME UP WITH A SURPRISE PUSH-BACK OF HIS OWN. HERE'S FINN HOGAN WITH THE WEEK ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL. WELL, THERE'S NEVER A GOOD TIME TO CATCH COVID ` BUT SECOND TO LAST WEEK OF THE CAMPAIGN IS ONE OF THE WORST. CHRIS HIPKINS HAS COME DOWN WITH COVID. CHIPPIE PUTTING A BRAVE FACE ON ISO, FORCED TO RELIVE THE ZOOM TROUBLE WE HOPED WE'D LEFT BEHIND. OK, UH... UH... MEANWHILE, LUXON WAS MAKING THE MOST OF BEING FACE TO FACE WITH VOTERS, GOING HANDS-ON WITH BALD MEN. LET ME HAVE A LOOK. WHAT DO YOU DO TO IT, EH? WE'VE ACTUALLY GOT A LABOUR PARTY WHOSE POSITION ON TAX IS MORE FRACTURED THAN THE RANFURLY SHIELD, I JUST PUT IT TO YOU. THOUGH HIPKINS WAS BACK ON THE TRAIL COME FRIDAY... TASTE OF FREEDOM. TASTES VERY GOOD. ...WASTING NO TIME RETURNING FIRE. NATIONAL PARTY` THIS WHOLE CAMPAIGN IS BASED ON SLOGANS AND SOUNDBITES WITHOUT SUBSTANCE. MEANWHILE, THE USUALLY MILD-MANNERED SHAW WAS THROWING SHADE IN THE MINOR PARTY LEADER DEBATE. DAVID` YOU KNOW, I'M STARTING TO REALISE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO CAN TOLERATE YOU ARE THE REAL HEROES HERE, YOU KNOW THAT? (LAUGHTER, APPLAUSE) THOUGH SEYMOUR WASN'T LETTING SHAW CLIP HIS WINGS, TAKING FLIGHT IN A PINK PLANE, HOPING TO BE THE COUNTRY'S CO-PILOT. TWO SEATS SEEMS TO BE A PRETTY GOOD NUMBER FOR FLYING A PLANE. I' IM JOINED NOW BY OUR PANEL ` RNZ INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER AND PRESENTER GUYON ESPINER, NATIONAL AFFAIRS EDITOR AT STUFF ANDREA VANCE AND FORMER NATIONAL FINANCE MINISTER RUTH RICHARDSON. WELCOME TO THE PROGRAMME. IT'S BEEN AN UNUSUAL WEEK OUT THERE. WE HAD CHRIS HIPKINS BEAMING IN LIKE A WEIRD REALITY TV EXPERIENCE. THAT WAS AWFUL TIMING. IT WAS, AND A DEEP IRONY GIVEN THAT IT WAS PUT COVID THAT PUSHED THEM OVER THE LINE IN 2020. HE HAS BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR A LOT OF THOSE COVID RESTRICTIONS. TO SEE IT PUT HIM OUT IN THE LAST WEEKS OF THE CAMPAIGN IS PRETTY TOUGH. IT MUST HAVE COME AT SUCH A BLOW, ANDREA, AS THERE WAS A BIT OF A SPARK HAPPENING THE WEEK BEFORE, AND SUDDENLY SNUFFED OUT. TO BE FAIR, THEY HAVE HAD A SMALL POLL BUMP. MAYBE THEY NEED TO PUT HIM BACK IN THE HOTEL ROOM. I DON'T THINK NATIONAL REALLY CAPITALISED THAT MUCH. NATIONAL HAVE NOT HAD A FABULOUS WEEK. CHRISTOPHER LUXON HAS REALLY STEPPED UP, HE IS A GREAT CAMPAIGNER AND IS FULL OF ENERGY, BUT HE SPENT MOST OF THE WEEK EITHER TALKING ABOUT WINSTON OR DEFENDING THE HOLES IN THEIR TAX PLAN. DOES IT LOOK TO YOU LIKE THE BLUE WAVE HAS STALLED? NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT THE INCONVENIENCE TRUTH ` THE MATHS. OUR DEBT HAS DOUBLED, WE ARE IN REAL FISCAL SHTOOK. GROWTH HAS TANKED. WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT INTEREST RATES WILL BE HIGHER FOR LONGER. THAT IS THE WRECKING BALL WE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT. DEBT AND DEFICITS ARE BAD ENOUGH, BUT DENIAL IS WORSE. THE TALK SEEMED TO FOCUS ON THE END ON NATIONAL'S TAX POLICY. IS THAT THE REASON THAT NATIONAL HAS STALLED? THAT TAX POLICY HAS DOGGED THEM THE WHOLE WAY THROUGH THIS CAMPAIGN. YES IT HAS. THEY LIKE TO PROMISE TAX CUTS, AND THEY HAVE TO WIND IT BACK. THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF QUESTIONS, LEGITIMATE ONES, ON WHETHER IT STACKS UP. IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO. NOR DOES LABOURS GST POLICY, FRANKLY. WE SAW THAT EARLIER WITH THE DEBATE. THEY ARE BOTH ON FRAGILE GROUND. I THINK BOTH RED AND BLUE ARE GUILTY OF HEROIC ASSUMPTIONS. NOWHERE IN THE RULES I WROTE DIDN'T SAY HEROIC ASSUMPTIONS WILL GET YOU THERE. I THINK THE PUBLIC SENSE THAT. THEY MAY BE DON'T UNDERSTAND THE ASSUMPTIONS, BUT UNDERSTAND THEY ARE MAKING WILD PROMISES, AND BOTH SETS OF PROMISES WILL BE INFLATIONARY. IT COMES DOWN TO THE POCKETBOOK ECONOMICS THAT WE WILL BE PAYING HIGHER MORTGAGE INTEREST RATES FOR LONGER, AND THE ORTHODOXY AS WE WILL HAVE TO ENDURE UNEMPLOYMENT GOING UP. PEOPLE GENUINELY SENSE THAT BOTH PARTIES ARE LOOKING TO CUT PUBLIC SERVICES AT THE SAME TIME AS PROMISING SWEETENERS. WHY AREN'T WE HAVING THIS DEBATE IN THE CAMPAIGN? THIS UNCERTAIN GLOBAL ECONOMIC TIMES. IT IS JUST NOT CREDIBLE FOR EITHER PARTY TO BE OUT THERE RETAIL POLITICKING IN THIS ENVIRONMENT. IT IS A BIT LIKE THE COOKIE JAR, THE POLITICIANS CANNOT RESIST PUTTING THEIR HAND OUT AND GRABBING IT. GOING INTO AN ELECTION CAMPAIGN PROMISING NOTHING, THEY CAN'T FORCE THEMSELVES TO DO IT. I THINK POLITICIANS DO REALLY STRUGGLE TO GO IN A CAMPAIGN WITHOUT PROMISING TO DELIVER SOMETHING. IT'S NOT CALLED FISCAL AUSTERITY. IT IS FINANCIAL PRUDENCE, WE ARE PAYING THE PRICE FOR THE DEPARTURE FROM FINANCIAL PRUDENCE. THE STAKES COULD NOT BE HIGHER. NEITHER PARTY I PROMISING FUNDAMENTAL REFORM. BUT IS THAT LAND THEM AFTER THE ELECTION? I THINK WE WILL HAVE THREE YEARS OF BATTENING THE HATCHES. I THINK IT WILL BE BRUTAL. THAT WE ARE NOT TECHNICALLY IN A RECESSION, IT WILL FEEL LIKE IT IS. WHOEVER IS IN GOVERNMENT WILL HAVE TO RUN VERY TIGHT FISCAL POLICY. THERE WILL NOT BE A LOT OF FUN OR EXTRAVAGANT PROMISES, AND THEN AFTER THAT, MAY BE IN THE NEXT ELECTION IT WILL BE A MORE CAMPAIGN FULL OF MORE VISION FOR THE FUTURE. THE IMPERATIVE AS WE NEED TO GROW THE ECONOMY, NOT THE GOVERNMENT. IMF LOOKED AT US AMONG 160 COUNTRIES AND WE WERE HUNDRED AND 59. GROWTH HAS TANKED. WE NEED TO GET REAL. YOU GET IT BY THE SETTINGS THAT ARE COURAGE EFFORT AND ENERGY AND ENTERPRISE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. THERE MUST BE SOME FRUSTRATION ON THE RIGHT. THEY HAVE BEEN VERY VOCAL AND CRITICAL OF THE GOVERNMENT. IS NOT A TYPICAL ELECTION. THE RIGHT SEEMS SPLINTERED. I DON'T THINK THERE SPLINTERED. LOOK AT YOUR COLOUR, THAT PARTY` A COINCIDENCE. I AM A SUPPORTER OF DAVID SEYMOUR. RED AND BLUE ARE DOING ASSUMPTIONS. MMP LICENSES... THEIR MOMENTUM HAS STALLED AND THEY HAVE DROPPED FIVE POINTS. PEOPLE ARE NOT BUYING THE GROWTH STORY ANYMORE, BECAUSE GROWTH HASN'T DELIVERED. THERE IS NO GROWTH. THE PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT WHERE THERE WAS GROWTH, THERE WAS A HOUSING CRISIS, AND A LITANY OF CHILD POVERTY. PEOPLE DON'T BUY IT. THEY DO NOT BELIEVE THE PROMISES. MMP WILL ALWAYS BE A SPOILER. I WANT TO SAY ON THIS TOPIC OF ACT AND DAVID SEYMOUR. HE LOOKS LIKE HE'S DEFLATING AT THE MOMENT. HE HAS NOT PICKED UP THE RIGHT TIME OF THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN. WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS? I THINK HIM AND WINSTON PETERS ARE FIGHTING OVER THE SAME GROUND, PROPERLY OVER CO-GOVERNANCE. WHATEVER YOU THINK OF WINSTON PETERS, HIS TIMING IS ALWAYS INCREDIBLE. I THINK DAVID SEYMOUR HAS PICKED A LITTLE EARLY, AND NEW ZEALAND FIRST IS EATING INTO HIS VOTE. THERE IS A LOT MORE PRESSURE ASSOCIATED WITH THE SELECTION FOR HIM. HE IS USED TO BEING THE UNDERDOG. IT IS A VERY DIFFERENT POSITION HE IS IN NOW, TRYING TO HOLD THAT BOAT AND PERHAPS GROW IT. HE CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE ANYTHING. I THINK THE PROBLEM FOR DAVID SEYMOUR AS HE HAS SPENT 10 YEARS REBUILDING THAT PARTY, AND HAS DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB. I THINK THE PROBLEM IS ` CHRIS LUXON HAS MANAGED TO BOOST WINSTON PETERS POPULARITY, AND I THINK ACTS POLICIES HAVE COME UNDER MORE SCRUTINY. PREVIOUSLY HE COULD SAY WHATEVER HE WANTED, BUT THE MORE PEOPLE LOOK UNDER THE HOOD OF WHAT THEY ARE PROMISING, THEN... A POLICY LIKE TAKING 15,000 PUBLIC SERVANTS OUT, WHY YOU MIGHT AGREE ON PAPER WITH THAT, BUT FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT FEELS VERY BRUTAL. WHEN YOU SEE THAT SORT OF POLICY ILLUSTRATED, SOME PEOPLE ARE PUT OFF. THE BRUTAL THING IS TO STAY WHERE WE ARE. WE HAVE BEEN BLOWN OFF COURSE BY COVID AND CYCLONES. WE NEED TO TACK BACK. DAVID SEYMOUR IS THE STANDARD BEARER FOR HIGH QUALITY POLICY. I WAS JUST THINKING ON THE CYCLONE, I WONDER WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF IF WE DO HAVE A NATIONAL AND ACT GOVERNMENT, AND THE OTHER IS CONSIDERABLE CUTS TO PUBLIC SERVICES. I WONDER HOW THE PUBLIC SERVICE WOULD WORK THEN. IT HAS ALREADY BEEN GUTTED. I JUST WONDER IF THEY HAVE 6.5% CUTS OFF THE BASELINES, ON TOP OF THE 2% ALREADY IN THERE, HOW WOULD THEY MANAGE? WE ARE NOT GETTING BANG FOR BUCK. NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE QUANTITY OF SPENDING IT IS ALSO THE QUALITY. IT IS WOEFUL. DO NOT EQUATE MORE PUBLIC SERVANT'S WITH BETTER DELIVERY. I WANT TO TALK AT THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM. LET'S BRING BACK WINSTON PETERS. WINSTON PETERS IS SOMEHOW DRIVING STRAIGHT THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF ALL OF THE OTHER PARTIES. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF CHRISTOPHER LUXON'S TIMING IN TERMS OF SAYING HE WILL PICK UP THE PHONE TO WINSTON? STRATEGIC INEPTNESS, I THINK. THEY HAVE NOT PUT ANY GOOD-QUALITY THOUGHT INTO HOW THEY ARE GOING TO FORM A GOVERNMENT. THEY RULED OUT THE MAORI PARTY VERY EARLY. I THINK THEY COULD HAVE RULED OUT WINSTON PETERS EARLIER. THEY WERE NOT COURAGEOUS ENOUGH TO DO THAT AND HOPED THE PROBLEM WOULD GO AWAY. HE STARTS CREEPING UP, AND NOW THEY ARE SAYING, ' I WOULD MAKE A PHONE CALL TO HIM,' AND AS YOU SAID BEFORE, THAT ALLOWED HIM TO START TO SEARCH, AND NOW THEY ARE SAYING THEY DON'T WANT TO WORK WITH HIM. SO WHAT IS THE ACTUAL MESSAGE HERE? STRATEGICALLY, THERE WAS NO EFFORT TO GET TOP HERE, NO OUTREACH TO THE GREENS. WHERE WAS THAT WORK DONE EARLY? THEY HAVE BANKED ON THE STRATEGY TO PUT ALL THEIR EGGS IN THE ACT AND NATIONAL BASKET, AND HAVE NOT DONE ANY OUTREACH. I THINK THEY HAVE STORED THEMSELVES UP PROBLEMS FOR THE FUTURE. CHRISTOPHER LUXON HAS BEEN DISPARAGING OF WINSTON PETERS. ONE THING WINSTON PETERS WILL DEMAND IS THAT YOU TREAT HIM WITH RESPECT. IT IS THE SAME PROBLEM THAT LANDED THEM OUT OF OFFICE IN 2017. LET'S GET REAL. THE STAKES COULD NOT BE HIGHER. WE NEED A SERIOUS GOVERNMENT COMMITTED TO A PROGRAM OF COHERENT AND SERIOUS REFORM. WE NEED TO DO THE MAHI. EYE FOR THE MAHI OF ALL BUDGETS. WE WANT THAT IN ENGLISH FIRST. I'M PRETTY GOOD IN TE REO. NATIONAL NEEDS WINSTON ON THE CURRENT NUMBERS. EVEN THOUGH NICHOLAS SAYS SHE DOESN'T BELIEVE HE WILL BE THERE AFTER ELECTION DAY. IS THAT A DONE DEAL? I KNOW WINSTON HAS SAID HE WON'T GO WITH LABOUR BEFORE, BUT HE COULD. IF I WAS THE NATIONAL PARTY OR ACT, THAT IS WHAT I WOULD BE SAYING. IF YOU VOTE FOR WINSTON, IT MIGHT BE A LABOUR GOVERNMENT. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE EXPECTING HIM TO GO WITH THE RIGHT, AND POSSIBLY SOME NATIONAL VOTERS ARE PUTTING THEIR WEIGHT BEHIND WINSTON ON THAT BASIS. I GUESS IT IS POSSIBLE THAT HE WOULD GO WITH THE LEFT. THE OPTION IF THE NUMBERS WERE THERE` IT GIVES THEM STRATEGIC LEVERAGED. HE HAS GONE BACK ON HIS WORD OCCASIONALLY. HE EMERGED FROM A COALITION AGREEMENT AS FOREIGN MINISTER. NOTHING IS A DONE DEAL WITH WINSTON. I THINK THE ANTIPATHY IS TOO GREAT BETWEEN THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP OF LABOUR AND WINSTON. I DON'T SEE HOW THEY COULD GET PAST THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US ON THE PANEL. E WHAI AKE NEI - COMING UP, A SPECIAL REPORT ON MP SAFETY. BUT FIRST, IF THE MAJOR AND MINOR PARTIES AREN'T INSPIRING YOU THIS ELECTION THIS ONE'S FOR YOU. HOKI MAI ANO, WELCOME BACK. WE NATURALLY FOCUS ON THE MAJOR AND THE MAJOR-MINOR PARTIES BUT THEY ARE ACTUALLY OUTNUMBERED BY SMALLER PARTIES ON THE FRINGES OF THE DEBATE. THOSE PARTIES HAVE LITTLE OR NO CHANCE OF GETTING ELECTED, SO WHO ARE THEY, AND WHY DO THEY BOTHER? (PEOPLE CHANT) WE ALL KNOW THIS GUY, UNDERTAKING A DISRUPT CAMPAIGN THIS ELECTION, BECAUSE... WE'RE STARVED OF ANY MEDIA ATTENTION AT THE BEST OF TIMES, REALLY, THE SMALLER PARTIES. SO YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING SOMETIMES TO GET THAT ATTENTION. THIS RECENT PROTEST WAS NOTHING LIKE LAST YEAR'S OCCUPATION OF PARLIAMENT'S GROUNDS. A MOMENT BRIAN TAMAKI HOPED WOULD INSPIRE AN UMBRELLA PARTY OF THE DISENFRANCHISED. IN THE END, ONLY ONE OTHER REGISTERED PARTY, THE OUTDOORS AND FREEDOM PARTY, LED BY SUE GREY, JOINED WITH TAMAKI'S VISION NZ TO BECOME FREEDOM'S NZ. THE NEGOTIATION SIDE OF GETTING PARTIES TO SEE THE CONCEPT OF COMBINING OUR PARTY VOTE TOOK A LOT OF HOURS. TIME, DAYS, WEEKS, MONTHS, TOOK A LOT OF HOURS. AND AS WE SEE TODAY, IT DIDN'T QUITE DO WHAT I HOPED IT WOULD DO. OUR LOYAL SUPPORTERS WANT US TO STAY ON THE PATH THAT WE ARE ON. IN FACT, SOME OF OUR SUPPORTERS HAVE SAID IF WE WENT TOWARDS ONE OF THOSE OTHER PARTIES, THEY WOULD HAVE LEFT US. HELEN HOUGHTON LEADS THE NEW CONSERVATIVES, WITH AN S. IT USED TO BE THE NEW CONSERVATIVE ` WITHOUT AN S ` PARTY, LED BY LEIGHTON BAKER. HE SPLIT TO FORM HIS OWN PARTY CALLED THE LEIGHTON BAKER PARTY. I REALLY WANT TO BE INFORMED. BAKER, LIKE TAMAKI, WAS AT THE PARLIAMENTARY PROTEST LAST YEAR. SO TOO, OTHER WELL-KNOWN NEW ZEALANDERS, WHO HAVE ALSO GONE ON TO SET UP POLITICAL PARTIES. FORMER BROADCASTER LIZ GUNN, HAS THE NEW ZEALAND LOYAL PARTY. A BUREAUCRATIC BUNGLE MEANS MOST OF HER CANDIDATES AREN'T REGISTERED, BUT SHE STILL BELIEVES HER PARTY COULD ATTRACT A RECORD NUMBER OF VOTES. AND WE WILL HAVE 2 MILLION. THAT'S THE NUMBER I HAVE IN MY HEAD. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO SOME WORK TO GET ME THERE. FORMER NATIONAL MP MATT KING HAS ALSO GONE OUT ON HIS OWN WITH DEMOCRACY NZ. I'M A FARMER, SO I'M NOT REALLY A POLITICIAN. I'M A FARMER. AND ANOTHER FORMER NATIONAL MP ALFRED NGARO HAS SET UP THE NEWZEAL PARTY. ANOTHER FREEDOM RIGHT'S PARTY IS CALLED THE NEW NATION PARTY. THERE ARE ALSO SINGLE-ISSUE PARTIES LIKE THE WOMEN'S RIGHTS PARTY, THE ANIMAL JUSTICE PARTY, AND THE LONG-RUNNING AOTEAROA LEGALISE CANNABIS PARTY, STARTED AFTER THE 1996 SMOKE-OUT AT PARLIAMENT. PERSISTENCE, PERSISTENCE, PERSISTENCE. AND WE THINK THAT WE WILL, IN FACT MAKE A DIFFERENCE. BUT IS ANYONE PLANNING ON VOTING FOR THEM? IN THE MOST RECENT NEWSHUB REID RESEARCH POLL, ALL THE SMALL PARTIES THAT RESPONDENTS MENTIONED, ADDED TOGETHER, TOTALLED 1.1%. THE NEW CONSERVATIVES DID BETTER, POLLING 1.1% BY THEMSELVES. THAT'S NO CHANCE OF GETTING INTO PARLIAMENT, AND A FAR CRY FROM WHEN COLIN CRAIG LED THE CONSERVATIVES AND ATTRACTED ALMOST 4% IN THE 2014 ELECTION. YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO GET CLOSER, WHETHER IT'S THIS YEAR OR 2026. MICHAEL APPLEBY EMBODIES PERSISTENCE. HE HAS BEEN THE CO-LEADER OF THE LEGALISE CANNABIS PARTY FOR 27 YEARS. WE'RE NEARLY THERE. WE'RE NEARLY THERE. AND I THINK THAT WHOEVER BECOMES THE GOVERNMENT IN THIS PARTICULAR ELECTION WILL HAVE TO TAKE HEED OF THE FACT THAT 1.4 MILLION PEOPLE WHO VOTED YES IN THE REFERENDUM CAN'T BE IGNORED. AND FOR BRIAN TAMAKI, IT'S ALL A MATTER OF FAITH. HEY, I BELIEVE IN MIRACLES. (CHUCKLES) WHILE THAT'S PROBABLY A GOOD THING. HOKI MAI ANO, WELCOME BACK. EVERY ELECTION CAMPAIGN IS ROBUST ` BUT THIS TIME SOME THINGS FEEL DIFFERENT. INCLUDING ALLEGATIONS OF TRESPASS, ASSAULT AND INTIMIDATION. SENIOR REPORTER LAURA WALTERS WITH THIS REPORT ON THE SAFETY OF OUR POLITICIANS. FROM HARMLESS HECKLING... WILL THE REAL MR CHRIS LUXON PLEASE STAND UP? OH, YOU'RE A FUNNY GUY, MATE. YOU'RE A REAL FUNNY GUY. ...TO TRESPASS. TO THE PEOPLE WHO CAME AND VANDALISED MY FENCE... THIS CAMPAIGN HITS DIFFERENT. THINGS ARE EDGIER, I THINK, THAN THEY'VE BEEN IN THE PAST. POLITICIANS AREN'T STRANGERS TO A BIT OF ARGY-BARGY. CAMPAIGNS BRING OUT COLOURFUL CHARACTERS. YOU'RE BEING DISRESPECTFUL. BUT IN THE LEAD UP TO THIS ELECTION, WE'VE SEEN A MORE SINISTER UNDERCURRENT. PEOPLE CHANT: NO MORE LABOUR PARTY. PEOPLE ARE GENERALLY MORE ANXIOUS, MORE ANGRY. I DO BELIEVE THAT THE TRENDS WE'RE SEEING NOW IN TERMS OF POLARISATION ARE A LASTING FEATURE OF THE WAY WE'RE ENGAGING WITH INFORMATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA, PARTICULARLY. DISINFORMATION PROJECT DIRECTOR KATE HANNAH SAYS SOCIAL MEDIA IS TRANSFORMING DISCONTENT INTO SOMETHING MORE DANGEROUS. THAT VERY VULGAR, VIOLATIVE AND VIOLENT EXPRESSION IS NORMALISED AND IS NOW BEING USED TO CONDUCT PART OF OUR ELECTION DISCOURSE. A MAN HAS BEEN TRESPASSED AFTER ALLEGATIONS OF AN INCIDENT AT THE HOME OF TE PATI MAORI CANDIDATE HANA-RAWHITI MAIPI-CLARKE (21). THERE'S A WHOLE GROUP WHO ARE REALLY SCARED THAT AS MAORI AND AS OUR CULTURE GETS STRONGER, AND WE RESUME OR CLAIM OUR ROLE BACK UNDER TE TIRITI, THAT THEY'RE GOING TO LOSE SOMETHING. POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING CLAIMS LABOUR MP ANGELA ROBERTS WAS SLAPPED LAST WEEK. LEANED IN AND SLAPPED MY CHEEKS AND SAID, 'ENJOY BEING IN OPPOSITION.' SENIOR WAHINE MAORI HAVE ALSO SPOKEN OUT. I WILL NOT BE DEHUMANISED. I WILL NOT BE MINORITIZED. NORTHLAND CANDIDATE WILLOW-JEAN PRIME SAYS THIS ELECTION HAS DELIVERED SOME OF THE WORST RACIST ABUSE SHE'S SEEN. I AM WORRIED ABOUT THIS ELECTION. I BELIEVE IT IS UNHINGED. I BELIEVE PEOPLE ARE EMBOLDENED. I BELIEVE IT IS UNSAFE. MY HUSBAND SAID, 'CAN WE PLEASE TAKE TWO CARS?' 'I DO NOT WANT THE CHILDREN IN YOUR WILLOW JEAN PRIME CAR.' NATIONAL PARTY CANDIDATES HAVE ALSO BEEN THREATENED AND INTIMIDATED. WE HAVE BEEN THE VICTIM OF GANG VIOLENCE AND INTIMIDATION, AND IT'S OUTRAGEOUS. NATIONAL SAYS ONE OF ITS CANDIDATES MOVED HOUSE AFTER A THREAT. ANOTHER WAS FILMED AT A RESTAURANT AND ANOTHER HAD A BEER POURED OVER THEM. THEY CLAIM VOLUNTEERS HAVE RECEIVED DEATH THREATS, BEEN ABUSED AND FOLLOWED, AND ONE HAD A DOG SET ON THEM. THIS IS NOT A PARTY POLITICAL ISSUE. IT'S AN ISSUE AROUND HIGH-PROFILE PEOPLE, AND PARTICULARLY WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOUR. WE'LL HAVE A REVERSION BACK TO A SINGLE SET OF VOICES AT THE TABLE. IN 2019, GREEN PARTY CO-LEADER JAMES SHAW WAS ASSAULTED ON HIS WAY TO WORK. SOMEBODY TRIED TO TALK TO ME. I SAID, 'TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF ME.' AND HE STARTED PUNCHING ME IN THE HEAD. THEN COVID STRUCK. WHAT I THINK COVID DID WAS POUR REAL FUEL ON THE FIRE. THINGS MAY IMPROVE A LITTLE AS WE GET FURTHER AWAY FROM THAT. BUT STILL, THE DRIVERS OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE WAY THAT'S MAKING PEOPLE THINK ABOUT THE WORLD ARE THERE AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE A REAL CONCERN. PEOPLE CHANT: USA! IT'S BECOME CLEAR NEW ZEALAND IS FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF OTHER COUNTRIES. AND THOSE WITH KNOWLEDGE OF THE DISCOURSE GOING ON BELOW THE SURFACE FEAR THINGS WILL GET WORSE BEFORE THEY GET BETTER. HE'S GOING FREELY. WHEN JACINDA ARDERN RESIGNED, THE COUNTRY GOT A HINT OF THE TOLL ON PUBLIC FIGURES. I KNOW WHAT THIS JOB TAKES, AND I KNOW THAT I NO LONGER HAVE ENOUGH IN THE TANK TO DO IT JUSTICE. EARLIER THIS YEAR, AN ONLINE HATE TRACKER FOUND ARDERN WAS THE TARGET OF 93% OF ALL TOXIC POSTS SCREENED AS PART OF A STUDY BY THE UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND. MORE THAN 5000 INTENSELY ABUSIVE MESSAGES WERE LEVELLED AT ARDERN, WITH THE FORMER PRIME MINISTER FACING ONLINE VITRIOL AT A RATE BETWEEN 50 AND 90 TIMES HIGHER THAN ANY OTHER HIGH-PROFILE FIGURE. GO HOME. NO ONE LIKES YOU HERE. (BLEEP!) YOU GO HOME. AS THE THREATS TOWARDS POLITICIANS HAVE RAMPED UP, SO HAS SECURITY. THERE WAS $14m IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET TO BOOST MP'S SECURITY, AND BOTH PARLIAMENTARY SERVICE AND THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION ARE OFFERING EXTRA SECURITY ADVICE. CANDIDATES AND VOLUNTEERS ARE DOORKNOCKING IN PAIRS, AND POLITICIANS HAVE BEEN DIRECTED NOT TO WALK HOME AT NIGHT. MOBS IN MALLS ARE BECOMING A THING OF THE PAST. INSTEAD, IT'S TIGHTLY-MANAGED MEET AND GREETS WITH SUPPORTERS. WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS A BIT OF A THREAT TO OUR DEMOCRACY, OUR WAY OF ORGANISING OUR COUNTRY. NATIONAL PARTY CAMPAIGN CHAIR CHRIS BISHOP BELIEVES IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE. WE DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN A DEMOCRACY WHERE LEADERS ONLY SPEAK TO PEOPLE THAT THEY ALREADY KNOW THAT ARE PRE-VETTED WITH PRE-VETTED QUESTIONS IN SAFE AND SECURE AND SANITISED ENVIRONMENTS. THAT'S NOT NEW ZEALAND. THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE WILL CONTINUE BEYOND OCTOBER 14, AND IT'S MORE THAN JUST POLITICIANS WHO COULD BE IN HARM'S WAY. MY FEAR IS NOT JUST FOR A POLITICIAN TO BE TARGETED IN THIS MANNER, BUT FOR AN ORDINARY CITIZEN. THAT'S ALL FROM US FOR NOW. DON'T FORGET TO VOTE ` NEXT WEEKEND'S NATION WILL BE AT 10AM ON SUNDAY. OUR EXTENDED POST-ELECTION SPECIAL WITH ALL THE LIVE CROSSES, INTERVIEWS AND INTEL YOU NEED TO ABSORB THE ELECTION RESULTS. NGA MIHI NUI, WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN ` AFTER THE ELECTION. CAPTIONS BY KATE MCCULLOUGH AND KITTY WASASALA. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. 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