Editorial: October 17 election fair to all parties

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announces moving the election date to October 17 during her press conference at Parliament. Photo / Mark Mitchell

EDITORIAL

There is little doubt the ghastly return of the Covid-19 coronavirus severely impacted on New Zealand's looming General Election.

With the constraints on movement - particularly in New Zealand's most populous city - and restrictions on the numbers of people permitted to gather, politicians have been hampered in their efforts to reach voters and outline their policies.

The media too has, understandably, prioritised the heightened health risk among vulnerable communities rather than those who would serve in our 53rd Parliament.

Under normal circumstances, the election date rests solely on the Prime Minister but Jacinda Ardern acknowledged moving the election was significant and so, rightly, consulted other political leaders.

Labour may well have wanted to press on with September 19, given its stellar political polls in recent weeks. Doing so, however, may have jarred with the mantra from this Government to be kind. With 58 confirmed cases in the Auckland cluster, pressing on with an election in 32 days' time might appear unkind to those at most risk.

The writing was on the wall too with an NZ Herald-Kantar Vote 2020 poll finding 60 per cent didn't think the election should still be held on September 19.

We know the other party preferences, as they had issued public statements in recent days, both drawing lines in the sand for the public to see and bringing pressure on the Prime Minister to acquiesce.

As Ardern noted, the four-week postponement lets the Electoral Commission plan for a potential polling to occur under some level of lockdown.

The Electoral Commission has told the PM, via the Ministry of Justice, a safe and accessible election is achievable on October 17. The delay gives the commission more time to prepare, including freeing up facilities for early voting during school holidays.

First and foremost, pushing the date out ensures the commission has the time and resources to host polling without hosting community transmission. The last thing anyone would want would be further outbreaks stemming from queues at polling stations or contamination at booths.

Significantly for political aspirants, it allows for the two-week period of electioneering "lost" during the forced level 3 lockdown in Auckland.

Should (although hopefully not) lockdown be extended, either at the next review on August 21 or at the end of the current planned period on August 26, the four-week deferment has given everyone involved an opportunity to adjust to the deadline.

Most significantly of all, the extra 28 days offers voters ample time to hear, see and consider the overtures from our political applicants.

This week, Joe Boden, deputy director of the 40-year-long Christchurch Health and Development Study, told 1 News he believed many New Zealanders didn't have enough knowledge to make an informed decision on the recreational cannabis referendum.

Taking this concern one short step further, it could be said too few New Zealanders are informed enough to cast a vote for the next Government. We should use these extra days wisely.

There should be plenty of time to bone up on decisions by October 17.