With election day tomorrow, how would you rate the campaign?

It feels to me like we’ve been in campaign mode for the whole year. I couldn’t even bring myself to watch TV1's People’s Debate last night all the way through to the end.

Elections are never an overly positive affair, but this campaign has been pretty awful.

So much so, that I reckon a lot of people will have forgotten a lot of the policies that have been trotted out.

And I’m not the only one thinking it’s been a bit of a cluster.

Some of the political leaders don’t think it’s been all that great, either.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins says National has run the most negative campaign of any first-term Government. And the results of a new study would suggest he’s right on that.

The Internet, Social Media and Politics Research Lab at Victoria University has done some analysis and has found that 65 percent of National’s Facebook posts have been negative.

A lot of that will have come from the relentless online attacks the party has made on Greens co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick.

It’s been so relentless, that Swarbrick herself has said that she’s effectively being cyber-bullied by National.

I agree with her. Bearing in mind too that it was only a few weeks ago when National’s Selwyn MP Nicola Grigg went public with some of the online bullying she’s been dealing with.

Since then, National has continued having a go at Chlöe online. Using unflattering photos, all of that. Just really nasty stuff.

Not that Labour has been squeaky clean, either.

Because the study which has found that 65 percent of National’s Facebook posts have been negative also found that just over 50 percent of Labour’s posts have been negative too.

So Chris Hipkins may be right when he says it’s been the most negative campaign ever by a first-term Government. But there’s a bit of the old pot calling the kettle going on.

Then we get to how Winston Peters feels the campaign has gone.

The NZ First leader thinks it’s the worst one he’s ever seen. He’s seen a few and is describing this one as a circus. Criticising the party leaders who have been clamouring to the gelato shop in Christchurch to try the gelato flavour named after them.

He’s been saying: “It's just astonishing what's happened here. It's turned into, sadly, a circus. This idea of having an ice cream poll and every leader dutifully turning up, subservient as it is, to such an unscientific, unprofessional thing is beyond me.”

He goes on: “And then you've got people petting dogs. I love dogs, but you know, going around petting dogs can be very dangerous sometimes, you pat the wrong dog.

“They’re talking about a cost of living crisis, and they’re flipping hamburgers.”

He’s talking there about Christopher Luxon and David Seymour who have both been filmed in the past week making burgers.

I don’t get too upset about that kind of thing. It’s just politicians being politicians.

But I do think that it’s a campaign we’ll all be pleased to see the end of. For me, it’s been too long and too negative, with too many debates.

LISTEN ABOVE

With election day tomorrow, how would you rate the campaign?
It feels to me like we’ve been in campaign mode for the whole year. I couldn’t even bring myself to watch TV1's People’s Debate last night all the way through to the end.
Elections are never an overly positive affair, but this campaign has been pretty awful.
So much so, that I reckon a lot of people will have forgotten a lot of the policies that have been trotted out.
And I’m not the only one thinking it’s been a bit of a cluster.
Some of the political leaders don’t think it’s been all that great, either.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins says National has run the most negative campaign of any first-term Government. And the results of a new study would suggest he’s right on that.
The Internet, Social Media and Politics Research Lab at Victoria University has done some analysis and has found that 65 percent of National’s Facebook posts have been negative.
A lot of that will have come from the relentless online attacks the party has made on Greens co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick.
It’s been so relentless, that Swarbrick herself has said that she’s effectively being cyber-bullied by National.
I agree with her. Bearing in mind too that it was only a few weeks ago when National’s Selwyn MP Nicola Grigg went public with some of the online bullying she’s been dealing with.
Since then, National has continued having a go at Chlöe online. Using unflattering photos, all of that. Just really nasty stuff.
Not that Labour has been squeaky clean, either.
Because the study which has found that 65 percent of National’s Facebook posts have been negative also found that just over 50 percent of Labour’s posts have been negative too.
So Chris Hipkins may be right when he says it’s been the most negative campaign ever by a first-term Government. But there’s a bit of the old pot calling the kettle going on.
Then we get to how Winston Peters feels the campaign has gone.
The NZ First leader thinks it’s the worst one he’s ever seen. He’s seen a few and is describing this one as a circus. Criticising the party leaders who have been clamouring to the gelato shop in Christchurch to try the gelato flavour named after them.
He’s been saying: “It's just astonishing what's happened here. It's turned into, sadly, a circus. This idea of having an ice cream poll and every leader dutifully turning up, subservient as it is, to such an unscientific, unprofessional thing is beyond me.”
He goes on: “And then you've got people petting dogs. I love dogs, but you know, going around petting dogs can be very dangerous sometimes, you pat the wrong dog.
“They’re talking about a cost of living crisis, and they’re flipping hamburgers.”
He’s talking there about Christopher Luxon and David Seymour who have both been filmed in the past week making burgers.
I don’t get too upset about that kind of thing. It’s just politicians being politicians.
But I do think that it’s a campaign we’ll all be pleased to see the end of. For me, it’s been too long and too negative, with too many debates.
LISTEN ABOVE

John MacDonald: The campaign's nearly over. How was it for you?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/7912d756-5101-4770-9884-b4fa00000522/transcript

This week's Politics Friday Election Special focused on the Christchurch East electorate.

The candidates, National's Alexandra Davids and Labour's Reuben Davidson, made their pitch to become the next local MP.

They discussed their backgrounds before entering politics and outlined how they would tackle the key issues facing the electorate, including homelessness, economic development, and the amount of vape shops around schools.

LISTEN ABOVE

This week's Politics Friday Election Special focused on the Christchurch East electorate.
The candidates, National's Alexandra Davids and Labour's Reuben Davidson, made their pitch to become the next local MP.
They discussed their backgrounds before entering politics and outlined how they would tackle the key issues facing the electorate, including homelessness, economic development, and the amount of vape shops around schools.
LISTEN ABOVE

Election 2026: Alexandra Davids and Reuben Davidson on the race to win Christchurch East

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/dff06563-23e8-4d41-a269-b4f9016ae99b/transcript

If you’re one of the people who doesn’t think Winston Peters has been showing his age lately, you might be thinking differently after the out of touch way he’s handling the Michael Laws situation.

 Because he seems to think that a telling off and a meeting after the election is the way to respond to Michael Laws’ appalling comments about women.

As the NZ First leader said to Ryan Bridge this morning, he thinks the comments were “careless”. But he’s not going to sack Laws before the election. But, in my mind, this guy isn’t fit to be in a modern day parliament and needs to go.

Laws himself - who is number six on the NZ First party list - is saying that his comments were supposed to be “wry and puckish”. And he’s been trotting out that line when people do the old Claytons apology. He said: “If people are offended, I apologise”.

Last week on his radio show, Laws talked about The Opportunity Party’s fourth-ranked candidate, Kayla Kingdon-Bebb, after he’d been involved in a pre-election debate with her.

He described her as “rather severe looking” and compared her to “every officious primary school teacher, female that I’ve ever come across in my life”.

That was bad enough. But he went on. And this is the clincher and this is why there’s no way Michael Laws should be in parliament again.

Talking about the Opportunity candidate, he banged on about the length of her dress and how little make-up she was wearing and then he said this: “Must be hell dating people like that, just quietly. Can you imagine what it’s like post-sex?”.

What a muppet. And I’m being generous.

National leader Christopher Luxon obviously agrees. As soon as these comments came to light yesterday, he swore that Laws will never be a cabinet minister in any government he leads.

All the other leaders have piled-on too. Except Winston Peters. He thinks Michael Laws just needs to be pulled into line. But what hypocrisy. Because, why is it that Michael Laws gets a slap on the wrist when, three-and-a-half months ago, Winston Peters was perfectly happy to accept Stuart Nash’s resignation over his comments about a female MP?

I know why. He was happy for Stuart to go because he wasn’t a few days out from an election.

Nash criticised his local National MP Katie Nimon, for taking time off after having a baby and described as her being the laziest MP he’s ever come across.

Dumb. But Michael Laws talking about what it would be like after having sex with a candidate from another political party is next level.

Opportunity leader Qiulae Wong says the comments were “awful” and “misogynistic” and she thinks Michael Laws should stand down. As I do.

Now I’m not going to pretend that, even in this day and age, some guys don’t talk the way Michael Laws did. That stuff might get said at the pub or on a boys’ weekend.

But that’s private. What Michael Laws did was public. And for him to think that it’s OK for politicians to talk like this, well - as Nicola Willis said yesterday - it’s from another era and he should go back to the ark.

LISTEN ABOVE

If you’re one of the people who doesn’t think Winston Peters has been showing his age lately, you might be thinking differently after the out of touch way he’s handling the Michael Laws situation.
&nbsp;Because he seems to think that a telling off and a meeting after the election is the way to respond to Michael Laws’ appalling comments about women.
As the NZ First leader said to Ryan Bridge this morning, he thinks the comments were “careless”. But he’s not going to sack Laws before the election. But, in my mind, this guy isn’t fit to be in a modern day parliament and needs to go.
Laws himself - who is number six on the NZ First party list - is saying that his comments were supposed to be “wry and puckish”. And he’s been trotting out that line when people do the old Claytons apology. He said: “If people are offended, I apologise”.
Last week on his radio show, Laws talked about The Opportunity Party’s fourth-ranked candidate, Kayla Kingdon-Bebb, after he’d been involved in a pre-election debate with her.
He described her as “rather severe looking” and compared her to “every officious primary school teacher, female that I’ve ever come across in my life”.
That was bad enough. But he went on. And this is the clincher and this is why there’s no way Michael Laws should be in parliament again.
Talking about the Opportunity candidate, he banged on about the length of her dress and how little make-up she was wearing and then he said this: “Must be hell dating people like that, just quietly. Can you imagine what it’s like post-sex?”.
What a muppet. And I’m being generous.
National leader Christopher Luxon obviously agrees. As soon as these comments came to light yesterday, he swore that Laws will never be a cabinet minister in any government he leads.
All the other leaders have piled-on too. Except Winston Peters. He thinks Michael Laws just needs to be pulled into line. But what hypocrisy. Because, why is it that Michael Laws gets a slap on the wrist when, three-and-a-half months ago, Winston Peters was perfectly happy to accept Stuart Nash’s resignation over his comments about a female MP?
I know why. He was happy for Stuart to go because he wasn’t a few days out from an election.
Nash criticised his local National MP Katie Nimon, for taking time off after having a baby and described as her being the laziest MP he’s ever come across.
Dumb. But Michael Laws talking about what it would be like after having sex with a candidate from another political party is next level.
Opportunity leader Qiulae Wong says the comments were “awful” and “misogynistic” and she thinks Michael Laws should stand down. As I do.
Now I’m not going to pretend that, even in this day and age, some guys don’t talk the way Michael Laws did. That stuff might get said at the pub or on a boys’ weekend.
But that’s private. What Michael Laws did was public. And for him to think that it’s OK for politicians to talk like this, well - as Nicola Willis said yesterday - it’s from another era and he should go back to the ark.
LISTEN ABOVE

John MacDonald: On Line 1, it's the 1970s calling for Michael Laws

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/a9b05c50-6361-4e65-9fa2-b4f801862c36/transcript

Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger believes the Christchurch City Council has a responsibility to help campers living in the residential red zone find alternative accommodation.

Speaking to John MacDonald on Newstalk ZB Canterbury Mornings, Mauger said homelessness remains primarily a central government responsibility, and the council needs more support from Wellington to help relocate campers.

"We do have a sort of civic duty to house these people, but we need the dough to be able to do it."

Residents of the homeless encampment in Bexley's residential red zone have been told to move out by next March despite no alternative accommodation being arranged, as the council plans to start wetland restoration in the area.

They also discussed plans to reduce future spending on cycleway projects, the council's bid to retain voting rights for some unelected committee members, and the mayor's suggestion of possible ways to cool the overheating One New Zealand Stadium.

LISTEN ABOVE

Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger believes the Christchurch City Council has a responsibility to help campers living in the residential red zone find alternative accommodation.
Speaking to John MacDonald on Newstalk ZB Canterbury Mornings, Mauger said homelessness remains primarily a central government responsibility, and the council needs more support from Wellington to help relocate campers.
"We do have a sort of civic duty to house these people, but we need the dough to be able to do it."
Residents of the homeless encampment in Bexley's residential red zone have been told to move out by next March despite no alternative accommodation being arranged, as the council plans to start wetland restoration in the area.
They also discussed plans to reduce future spending on cycleway projects, the council's bid to retain voting rights for some unelected committee members, and the mayor's suggestion of possible ways to cool the overheating One New Zealand Stadium.
LISTEN ABOVE

Mayor Phil Mauger on red zone campers, cycleway budgets and how to cool down One NZ Stadium

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/f94458fe-6845-4321-a2f9-b4f8016bf89b/transcript

It beggars belief that the Christchurch City Council is washing its hands of the 60 homeless people living in the residential red zone area on the east side of town.

These people have been living in a makeshift camp in Bexley for several years. But they’ve been told they have to leave by the end of February and that there’s nowhere else for them to go.

What’s happening is the council wants to press on with work converting the area into a wetland, which is part of the big long-term regeneration plan for the area.

It’s a plan that’s going to take decades to put in place. But the council wants to crack on with some of the work next year. So it needs the homeless campers to up sticks by February.

The red zone was where tens of thousands of people lived before the earthquakes. Since then, the city has been working out what to do with the area.

During that time, people with nowhere to live have started to congregate there, in Bexley, to the point where there are now about 60 of them living in their makeshift camp. Living in cars, trucks, buses, tents and shacks.

It beggars belief that the council is giving them the heave-ho because, for several years, it has been quite happy to tolerate these people being there.

Now it’s telling them to find somewhere else to live, but it won’t be anywhere in the red zone.

Which isn’t a piddly-sized bit of land. It covers 600 hectares, stretching from the city to the coast.

Six hundred hectares. Six square kilometres of land. Or equivalent to 840 rugby fields. Or about four times the size of Hagley Park.

We’ve got all that land and there’s nowhere for these people to go? Do me a favour.

As one of the people living there has told The Press, “We deserve a solution, not a deadline”.

Do they ever.

As this guy says: “Moving people on does not make their circumstances disappear. It simply moves the hardship somewhere else.”

Which is exactly what’s going to happen. These people living in the red zone aren’t causing any problems for anyone. So why is the council chucking them out?

Yes, I get it. Technically they’re probably occupying the area illegally.

This is what the council is alluding to in its weasel-words statement.

The council says: “Christchurch City Council manages public spaces on behalf of the community and must do so in accordance with its legal obligations, including council bylaws governing parks and public places. Residential occupation of public land is not permitted, and residents have been advised they will need to relocate by February 2027.

“The Council has been working with campers for an extended period and will continue to support them as the relocation timeframe approaches. The council is working alongside agencies including the Christchurch City Mission, Housing First and the Ministry of Social Development to help connect campers with available housing and support options. Ultimately the decision to engage with support services and seek alternative accommodation rests with each individual.”

I get all that. But have some heart and find somewhere else for these people to live. Instead of turfing them out and saying it’s up to them to find somewhere else to live. It not only beggars belief. It’s appalling.

LISTEN ABOVE

It beggars belief that the Christchurch City Council is washing its hands of the 60 homeless people living in the residential red zone area on the east side of town.
These people have been living in a makeshift camp in Bexley for several years. But they’ve been told they have to leave by the end of February and that there’s nowhere else for them to go.
What’s happening is the council wants to press on with work converting the area into a wetland, which is part of the big long-term regeneration plan for the area.
It’s a plan that’s going to take decades to put in place. But the council wants to crack on with some of the work next year. So it needs the homeless campers to up sticks by February.
The red zone was where tens of thousands of people lived before the earthquakes. Since then, the city has been working out what to do with the area.
During that time, people with nowhere to live have started to congregate there, in Bexley, to the point where there are now about 60 of them living in their makeshift camp. Living in cars, trucks, buses, tents and shacks.
It beggars belief that the council is giving them the heave-ho because, for several years, it has been quite happy to tolerate these people being there.
Now it’s telling them to find somewhere else to live, but it won’t be anywhere in the red zone.
Which isn’t a piddly-sized bit of land. It covers 600 hectares, stretching from the city to the coast.
Six hundred hectares. Six square kilometres of land. Or equivalent to 840 rugby fields. Or about four times the size of Hagley Park.
We’ve got all that land and there’s nowhere for these people to go? Do me a favour.
As one of the people living there has told The Press, “We deserve a solution, not a deadline”.
Do they ever.
As this guy says: “Moving people on does not make their circumstances disappear. It simply moves the hardship somewhere else.”
Which is exactly what’s going to happen. These people living in the red zone aren’t causing any problems for anyone. So why is the council chucking them out?
Yes, I get it. Technically they’re probably occupying the area illegally.
This is what the council is alluding to in its weasel-words statement.
The council says: “Christchurch City Council manages public spaces on behalf of the community and must do so in accordance with its legal obligations, including council bylaws governing parks and public places. Residential occupation of public land is not permitted, and residents have been advised they will need to relocate by February 2027.
“The Council has been working with campers for an extended period and will continue to support them as the relocation timeframe approaches. The council is working alongside agencies including the Christchurch City Mission, Housing First and the Ministry of Social Development to help connect campers with available housing and support options. Ultimately the decision to engage with support services and seek alternative accommodation rests with each individual.”
I get all that. But have some heart and find somewhere else for these people to live. Instead of turfing them out and saying it’s up to them to find somewhere else to live. It not only beggars belief. It’s appalling.
LISTEN ABOVE

John MacDonald: Turfing-out the red zone campers isn't the answer

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/a1279d8a-5f7a-4aa5-ab0c-b4f70182ecad/transcript

"Come back first-past-the-post, all is forgiven."

I reckon there’ll be people thinking or saying exactly that, with all this toing and froing over vote splitting.

We’ve got supporters of the right bloc in parliament running their campaign. And, on the left, we’ve got Te Pāti Māori telling its supporters to just vote for them in the electorate vote and give their party vote to either Labour or the Greens.

Which means we’ve got the left and the right exploiting the MMP rules to get the overhang. Which leaves us with more than 120 MPs in Parliament.

But you’ve got to remember that exploitation of some sort happens whatever the voting system. All rules can be exploited.

Back in the day, when we had first-past-the-post, parties would exploit the system by standing candidates in areas they didn’t live in.

They might have had a high profile or whatever and been voted in because of that. Denying all the genuine local candidates the chance to represent the area where they do live.

So I don’t think getting rid of MMP is the answer. But I do think something needs to change.

Especially when you look at this carry-on with the centre-right crowd, which is getting all the attention. Because the crew with all the money is running this campaign, telling people to give ACT and NZ First their party vote to create the overhang and get more centre-right MPs in Parliament.

The National Party is furious.

But its leader Christopher Luxon has said that, if he forms the next government, he’ll have a referendum on the MMP voting system. He might be even more gung-ho about that now, considering he’s saying that he wants as many National MPs as possible around the Cabinet table.

I think too that, after what we’re seeing this campaign, voters will have more of an appetite for a referendum than they might have when Luxon floated the idea a couple of months back.

Fun fact: MMP has been around for 30 years and, during that time, we’ve had five overhangs.

Which means every second election there’s been an overhang. Every second election, we’ve ended up with more than 120 MPs in parliament.

So, let’s assume we end up with an overhang again after this election. It won’t actually be all that unusual.

But, in a country where people like to complain about the number of MPs, and even some political parties claim they want fewer MPs in parliament, how can anyone look at what’s going on and think that it’s just the system?

Which is why I think any sense-check on our voting system would have to be more nuanced than just a referendum asking us if we want to stick with MMP.

I know we can’t stop political parties telling voters what to do. But I think we need to crack down on these third parties doing it.

I think MMP is way better than first-past-the-post. But what we’re seeing with this third-party campaigning is people with money potentially having way too much influence over the election result. And I don’t like it.

LISTEN ABOVE

"Come back first-past-the-post, all is forgiven."
I reckon there’ll be people thinking or saying exactly that, with all this toing and froing&nbsp;over vote splitting.
We’ve got supporters of the right bloc in parliament running their campaign. And, on the left, we’ve got Te Pāti Māori telling its supporters to just vote for them in the electorate vote and give their party vote to either Labour or the Greens.
Which means we’ve got the left and the right exploiting the MMP rules to get the overhang. Which leaves us with more than 120 MPs in Parliament.
But you’ve got to remember that exploitation of some sort happens whatever the voting system. All rules can be exploited.
Back in the day, when we had first-past-the-post, parties would exploit the system by standing candidates in areas they didn’t live in.
They might have had a high profile or whatever and been voted in because of that. Denying all the genuine local candidates the chance to represent the area where they do live.
So I don’t think getting rid of MMP is the answer. But I do think something needs to change.
Especially when you look at this carry-on with the centre-right crowd, which is getting all the attention. Because the crew with all the money is running this campaign, telling people to give ACT and NZ First their party vote to create the overhang and get more centre-right MPs in Parliament.
The National Party is furious.
But its leader Christopher Luxon has said that, if he forms the next government, he’ll have a referendum on the MMP voting system. He might be even more gung-ho about that now, considering he’s saying that he wants as many National MPs as possible around the Cabinet table.
I think too that, after what we’re seeing this campaign, voters will have more of an appetite for a referendum than they might have when Luxon floated the idea a couple of months back.
Fun fact: MMP has been around for 30 years and, during that time, we’ve had five overhangs.
Which means every second election there’s been an overhang. Every second election, we’ve ended up with more than 120 MPs in parliament.
So, let’s assume we end up with an overhang again after this election. It won’t actually be all that unusual.
But, in a country where people like to complain about the number of MPs, and even some political parties claim they want fewer MPs in parliament, how can anyone look at what’s going on and think that it’s just the system?
Which is why I think any sense-check on our voting system would have to be more nuanced than just a referendum asking us if we want to stick with MMP.
I know we can’t stop political parties telling voters what to do. But I think we need to crack down on these third parties doing it.
I think MMP is way better than first-past-the-post. But what we’re seeing with this third-party campaigning is people with money potentially having way too much influence over the election result. And I don’t like it.
LISTEN ABOVE

John MacDonald: Stick with MMP, but change this one thing

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/994802ce-fb0e-4708-8a37-b4f6018495e4/transcript

Louie and the Hotsticks are reuniting for two final Lyttelton shows this week, giving fans one last chance to relive the Marine Tavern magic that made them local legends.

John MacDonald spoke with Al Park, Helen Mulholland, and Jim Walmsley about the reunion, and they performed their original song: "Living on My Heart".

Louie and the Hotsticks - Final tickets on sale now through Undertheradar.

Friday, November 6: Lyttelton Arts Factory — fully seated.
Saturday, November 7: The Loons — all standing.

LISTEN ABOVE

Louie and the Hotsticks are reuniting for two final Lyttelton shows this week, giving fans one last chance to relive the Marine Tavern magic that made them local legends.
John MacDonald spoke with Al Park, Helen Mulholland, and Jim Walmsley about the reunion, and they performed their original song: "Living on My Heart".
Louie and the Hotsticks - Final tickets on sale now through Undertheradar.
Friday, November 6: Lyttelton Arts Factory — fully seated. Saturday, November 7: The Loons — all standing.
LISTEN ABOVE

Louie and The Hotsticks: Legendary local band ahead of final live performances

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/9daf99f5-be95-4e6e-89db-b4f60181eddb/transcript

Christopher Luxon’s vote-splitting scrap with ACT and NZ First reeks of desperation.

He’s not happy that his coalition partners are asking voters to give them their party vote and their electorate vote to National.

Talking with Mike Hosking during this morning’s Leaders Breakfast on Newstalk ZB, he didn’t hold back. Telling voters not to listen to what ACT and NZ First are wanting them to do. Claiming that it could clear the way for a Labour-led coalition.

Which, as most people are pointing out, is nonsense. Because whether you vote for National, ACT or NZ First, you’ll still get your centre-right coalition.

He said people shouldn’t over-complicate things.

“You can play games all day long as to how you might want to do your strategic voting, whatever. There's no need for any of that stuff. At the end of the day, we've got a really good policy programme, we've laid that out really clearly. I wish someone would just literally take person on person, look at my team of ministers that I've built over the last three years and put them up against the alternatives on the other side and say, you sure as hell don't want someone else other than that person doing that job.”

Adding that he would want as many National Party MPs as possible in Cabinet.

There was also talk about speculation that, on election night, if National needs The Opportunities Party to form a government, he’ll be ousted as leader.

Christopher Luxon laughed that off. But we’ll see who laughs last.

Generally, I thought he didn’t sound his usual self. Anyone could be forgiven for being and sounding tired after such a long campaign. But he didn’t sound his usual Energiser Bunny this morning.

I also think this vote-splitting row will be doing National no favours. And I think people could be forgiven for thinking twice about National, ACT and NZ First being able to hold it together for another three years.

LISTEN ABOVE

Christopher Luxon’s vote-splitting scrap with ACT and NZ First reeks of desperation.
He’s not happy that his coalition partners are asking voters to give them their party vote and their electorate vote to National.
Talking with Mike Hosking during this morning’s Leaders Breakfast on Newstalk ZB, he didn’t hold back. Telling voters not to listen to what ACT and NZ First are wanting them to do. Claiming that it could clear the way for a Labour-led coalition.
Which, as most people are pointing out, is nonsense. Because whether you vote for National, ACT or NZ First, you’ll still get your centre-right coalition.
He said people shouldn’t over-complicate things.
“You can play games all day long as to how you might want to do your strategic voting, whatever. There's no need for any of that stuff. At the end of the day, we've got a really good policy programme, we've laid that out really clearly. I wish someone would just literally take person on person, look at my team of ministers that I've built over the last three years and put them up against the alternatives on the other side and say, you sure as hell don't want someone else other than that person doing that job.”
Adding that he would want as many National Party MPs as possible in Cabinet.
There was also talk about speculation that, on election night, if National needs The Opportunities Party to form a government, he’ll be ousted as leader.
Christopher Luxon laughed that off. But we’ll see who laughs last.
Generally, I thought he didn’t sound his usual self. Anyone could be forgiven for being and sounding tired after such a long campaign. But he didn’t sound his usual Energiser Bunny this morning.
I also think this vote-splitting row will be doing National no favours. And I think people could be forgiven for thinking twice about National, ACT and NZ First being able to hold it together for another three years.
LISTEN ABOVE

John MacDonald: National's vote-splitting row reeks of desperation

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/757bf87f-c459-4cd3-ae70-b4f501864670/transcript

This week's Politics Friday Election Special focused on the Ilam electorate.

The candidates, Labour's Rata Jamieson and National's Hamish Campbell made their pitch to become the next local MP.

They discussed their backgrounds before entering politics and outlined how they would tackle the key issues facing the Ilam electorate, from student housing to the noise contour that peaks through the electorate, courtesy of Christchurch International Airport.

LISTEN ABOVE

This week's Politics Friday Election Special focused on the Ilam electorate.
The candidates, Labour's Rata Jamieson and National's Hamish Campbell made their pitch to become the next local MP.
They discussed their backgrounds before entering politics and outlined how they would tackle the key issues facing the Ilam electorate, from student housing to the noise contour that peaks through the electorate, courtesy of Christchurch International Airport.
LISTEN ABOVE

Election 2026: Rata Jamieson and Hamish Campbell on the race to win Ilam

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/fd717ce8-74ad-40ff-89ce-b4f20185f93b/transcript

ACT Leader David Seymour said it's "very possible" he'd ask to be Finance Minister if the coalition was re-elected. 

Speaking to Canterbury Mornings, Seymour told John MacDonald it's possible the current holder of the Finance portfolio, Nicola Willis, may not be returned to Parliament.

"First of all will she get another term? That's why we've actually got to win the election first". 

Seymour served as Associate Minister of Finance this term.

They also discussed his party's policies, what he thinks about a Christchurch school that's won a Ministry of Education contract to cook their own free school lunches, and what ACT can offer Canterbury voters.

LISTEN ABOVE

ACT Leader David Seymour said it's "very possible" he'd ask to be Finance Minister if the coalition was re-elected.&nbsp;
Speaking to Canterbury Mornings, Seymour told John MacDonald it's possible the current holder of the Finance portfolio, Nicola Willis, may not be returned to Parliament.
"First of all will she get another term? That's why we've actually got to win the election first".&nbsp;
Seymour served as Associate Minister of Finance this term.
They also discussed his party's policies, what he thinks about a Christchurch school that's won a Ministry of Education contract to cook their own free school lunches, and what ACT can offer Canterbury voters.
LISTEN ABOVE

David Seymour: ACT Party Leader flirts with idea of becoming Finance Minister

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/bc383ae2-7d87-4ba9-a669-b4f2017721f2/transcript

Every weekday join the new voice of local issues on Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald, 9am-12pm weekdays.

It’s all about the conversation with John, as he gets right into the things that get our community talking.

If it’s news you’re after, backing John is the combined power of the Newstalk ZB and New Zealand Herald news teams. Meaning when it comes to covering breaking news – you will not beat local radio.

With two decades experience in communications based in Christchurch, John also has a deep understanding of and connections to the Christchurch and Canterbury commercial sector.

Newstalk ZB Canterbury Mornings 9am-12pm with John MacDonald on 100.1FM and iHeartRadio.

Every weekday join the new voice of local issues on Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald, 9am-12pm weekdays. It’s all about the conversation with John, as he gets right into the things that get our community talking. If it’s news you’re after, backing John is the combined power of the Newstalk ZB and New Zealand Herald news teams. Meaning when it comes to covering breaking news – you will not beat local radio. With two decades experience in communications based in Christchurch, John also has a deep understanding of and connections to the Christchurch and Canterbury commercial sector. Newstalk ZB Canterbury Mornings 9am-12pm with John MacDonald on 100.1FM and iHeartRadio.

Every weekday join the new voice of local issues on Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald, 9am-12pm weekdays.It’s all about the conversation with John, as he gets right into the things that get our community talking.

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald

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