Campaign diary: A healthy dose of deja vu

Those old familiar faces

Gracing the walls of the Onehunga medical centre visited by National leader Bill English yesterday were photographs of some familiar faces. Soon to be ex-colleagues Max Bradford and Wyatt Creech were part of a crowd scene on a diabetes awareness poster.

There were also a parliamentary security officer, parliamentary tour guide and the parliamentary bookings officer. "That's amazing," said English. More so because the scene was printed twice for effect, so there were two Wyatts and Maxes.

A divine segue

Dr Leopino Falioka, of the Onehunga Langimalie Health Centre, had barely finished wishing Bill English luck for the election when a colleague said "Let us pray". It wasn't clear if the Tongan prayer was for Bill or the morning tea.

Launch after launch after launch

Just how many times can the Act party launch its election campaign?

Media try to be fair by covering each party's launch, but it seems Act is trying to take too many bites of the publicity cherry.

So far, they've had campaign "launches" in several cities and an election launch outside Mt Eden Prison on June 16. Now they've announced a "formal" launch at the Ellerslie Convention Centre next Sunday.

Surely even the party's most ardent supporters are all launched out.

Tripping along

United Future leader Peter Dunne has had the first stumble of the election campaign - literally. After delivering his speech at Sunday's launch, he reached out into the crowd of supporters to shake a few hands, but tripped and almost ended up in their laps. That may have been just a little bit too up close and personal for their liking.

What's on the box

Television viewers keen to see what the minor parties offer can tune in to Sky's uninterrupted hour-long debate at 8.30 tonight on Channel 54. The first television debate between the leaders, fronted by Bill Ralston and three political journalists, will feature Green co-leader Rod Donald, Act's Richard Prebble, United Future's Peter Dunne, Winston Peters from NZ First, Progressive Coalition's Jim Anderton and Alliance leader Laila Harre.

They said it

"This is a hidden financial scandal on the scale of the BNZ." - National leader Bill English on district health board deficits.

"Other people have very silly ideas, but we don't talk about them." - Prime Minister Helen Clark on accident compensation policies.

"Today we have a new card, called Labour's debit card, and it is being charged to you and all New Zealanders." - NZ First leader Winston Peters' new take on Labour's credit card pledges.

Where the leaders are today

* Helen Clark campaigns in the Kaikoura electorate.

* Bill English visits factories in Thames before a short trip to Morrinsville.

* Greens co-leader Rod Donald heads to Auckland for a Sky TV leaders debate.

* Winston Peters spends the day in his Tauranga electorate.

* Jim Anderton promotes the Progressive Coalition in Wellington.

* United Future's Peter Dunne is at a Get Smart Youth Conference in Auckland.

* Alliance leader Laila Harre opens the Involve 2002 Youth conference in Wellington.

Full news coverage:
nzherald.co.nz/election

Election links:
The parties, policies, voting information, and more

Ask a politician:
Send us a question, on any topic, addressed to any party leader. We'll choose the best questions to put to the leaders, and publish the answers in our election coverage.