Labour on the back foot for first debate

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

A wave of promises and some ugly disruptions have led up to the first leaders’ debate before the election, which is being televised tonight.

It is becoming more important now for Chris Hipkins and the Labour government. A steady slide in the polls has Labour firmly on the back foot, with less than a month to polling day. The party has not gained much momentum with its promises of free dental care for people aged under 30.

That was followed by a promise on Sunday of extending the breast-screening programme to the ages of 69 to 74 years, which would mean an additional 115,000 women would benefit from the programme.

The announcement was part of Labour’s women’s manifesto for the election. While this was happening, the Greens joined in the bidding by offering five weeks of annual leave by 2025.

A press release from co-leader Marama Davidson said current pressures meant workers were unable to spend quality time with their whānau and friends.

It was another shrewd move by the party as it was the first party to offer help with dental care.

Act leader David Seymour found his campaign opening deliberately disrupted by protester Karl Makaraka of the Freedom Party, who reportedly disguised himself with a false moustache to obtain entry. It was a hattrick for Makaraka who has previously disrupted National and Labour events involving Hipkins and National leader Christopher Luxon.

Act supporters reacted by focusing their anger on the media person, who was hit on the head with a placard.

Seymour apologised for this action, which he said went against the spirit of the Act party. But this has increased concerns that the rest of the campaign will face increasing disruption.

And it did not stop Seymour from continuing his attacks on co-governance and race-based policies.

Seymour confirmed Act’s intention to legislate the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and then put a Treaty of Waitangi Act out to a binding referendum. Labour’s fall in the polls has given tonight’s referendum more significance. One of Labour’s hopes was that Hipkins would prove a better campaigner than Luxon who has completed just one term in Parliament.

So far, however, Luxon has not made

any major mistakes on the campaign trail — apart from becoming testy when being faced with continued questions about how the party’s promised tax cuts would be funded.

Also there would be some doubts about how much effect the debates actually have on the election.

People watching them tend to be extremely interested in politics. But there is a much larger cohort who will have their televisions screened elsewhere tonight.