"Businesses hate uncertainty. It makes it that much harder to plan in terms of hiring and investment. The more uncertainty and the risk they might have to shut up shop, the greater the likelihood that they're going to hold off making any long-term plans, which then is a self-fulfilling cycle. In the absence of these plans, we don't have that investment and spending that takes place, which then helps to promote growth in the economy. It's important to have a long-term vision of where we want to be - of where we want New Zealand to be."
As New Zealand prepares for an historic election in the worldwide grip of Covid-19, reporter David Fisher and visual journalist Mike Scott spent three weeks on the road to find out what we're thinking. In Auckland they talked to economist Christina Leung and met small business owners Barry and Debbie Hart.