Election 2017: Ardern comes north bearing gifts

Labour leader Jacinda Ardern received a rock star welcome at the Kaitaia RSA on Friday evening, where Toto Thompson pledged his loyalty.

The Winterless North rained on Labour leader Jacinda Ardern's parade a little in Kaitaia on Saturday morning, but she received the warmest of welcomes.

Ms Ardern, accompanied by Te Tai Tokerau and Northland candidates Kelvin Davis and Willow-Jean Prime, made her way through a packed crowd at the Kaitaia RSA on Friday evening, but it was Te Ahu on where she broke the big news on Saturday morning.

She had been very impressed by plans for Kaitaia's Te Hiku Sports Hub, she said, and a Labour government would support that project to the tune of $2.8 million.

Labour's Northland candidate Willow-Jean Prime braved the elements to meet Saturday morning market patrons in Kaitaia, with the latest addition to her family well and truly snuggled up.

The Far North District Council has already pledged $2.9 million, Labour's undertaking to almost match that being contingent upon the community finding the rest.

She looked forward to returning as Prime Minister, with two local Labour MPs to cut the ribbon.

Ms Ardern was welcomed at Te Ahu by a small but enthusiastic crowd, who frequently broke into applause as she spoke of her vision for New Zealand, a vision that owed much to her predecessor Norman Kirk, who, before she was born, had said that New Zealanders deserved somewhere to live, something to do, someone to love and something to hope for.

Her government would address those aspirations by means including making housing more affordable, supporting the transition of young New Zealanders from school into further education or training (including providing the equivalent of the unemployment benefit for employers who offered apprenticeships), and a better-funded, more accessible public health system.

A Labour government would also double the funding currently available (to $280 million a year) for maintenance of local roads.

Ms Ardern completed her Far North tour with a visit to Kerikeri's Packhouse market later on Saturday morning.