PM Jacinda Ardern called out National’s ‘desperate tactics’ and ‘misinformation’ while speaking in Christchurch. Video / Logan Church
Labour leader Jacinda Ardern has moved to try to kill off National's claims she would bow to the Green Party's wish for a wealth tax by saying she would not implement a wealth tax as long as she is Prime Minister.
It is a step further than she has gone before – her previous comments on it related to the next term.
Ardern made the comment after the issue was raised yet again following Green Party MP Chloe Swarbrick's comment that it would be on the table. She was asked if she would resign if she implemented a wealth tax – the promise she had made about raising the age for superannuation.
Ardern said there was no need to make such a promise about "a hypothetical" because it would not happen.
"Now is not the time to be experimenting with tax policy when we need to focus on our economic recovery."
The issue of the wealth tax has been raised almost daily on the campaign trail as National's leader Judith Collins tries to raise uncertainty about Labour's tax plans and what a Labour – Green government would mean.
Ardern said she was not worried that it was harming her campaign, putting it down to "desperation tactics" from National.
Ardern has also increasingly been pointing to the apparent internal issues of National as the campaign has gone on, contrasting it to the stability she says she can offer: and Wednesday saw her highlight Collins' comments on obesity as further evidence of it.
Collins had said obesity was about personal responsibility, while National MP Mark Mitchell said the next day it was more complex than that.
On that, Ardern said: "It shows Judith Collins has taken National in a different direction and perhaps not all her team agree with her."
Labour leader Jacinda Ardern greets a crowd on the campaign trail in Christchurch. Photo / Logan Church
Ardern had spent one final day on the campaign trail in Christchurch, a centre she has regularly visited this campaign.
A walkabout down the New Regent shopping precinct brought her to Rollickin, the gelato shop running a poll based on icecream sales named after the political leaders.
It was the first poll which has scared her: Judith Collins' and Ardern were both on 27 per cent while Act leader David Seymour's "David S'mores" was ahead on 28 per cent.
Ardern has proven reluctant to lend a helping hand to NZ First leader Winston Peters this campaign, but did defend him at Rollickin when asked why his icecream was only polling at six per cent. She asked what flavour it was and when told it was licorice, said the odds were clearly against him.
She did not take an opportunity to offer him a more concrete endorsement a bit later, when she was asked if she thought Peters would return after the election, saying simply that was up to the voters.
Her day had begun with a visit to HamiltonJet, which makes boat water jet systems. There she inspected some jets, and climbed onto an ocean boat, observing her partner Clarke Gayford – a keen fisher - would be disappointed to have missed it.
A presentation by managing director Ben Reed on the company's work and exports contained a few fishhooks for her: first was a mention of the company's use of Rio Tinto for aluminium, prompting Ardern to chip in about its plans to close. Reed grinned and said, "I thought I'd get the pitch in."
Police make a circle around Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern at Westfield Riccarton. Photo / Claire Trevett
Ardern cheered up when Reed set out work to develop fully electric jets for ferries – but then Reed got in a Covid-19 pitch, saying the company could not afford to close down operations again, and needed to be able to bring in skilled workers from overseas: "We have people stuck in limbo" to be able to service overseas essential services, such as coast guards which use their jets.
Her day ended with a visit to Riccarton Westfield, where the now daily scenes of shoppers mobbing her for photos continued. After a vigorous walkabout in Hamilton earlier in the week forced her security to take her out through the basement, this time the Police formed a ring around her to spearhead her way slowly through the crowds.
There was one quieter encounter earlier in the day as Ardern had walked along the river to a community centre.
A woman walking in the other direction handed her a white camellia and said, simply, "for courage" before walking on.
