KEY POINTS:
1.55pm: Gloves off in Cathedral Square
Things got rowdy in Christchurch's Cathedral Square today, where John Key had arrived to address about 150 National Party faithful.
1.55pm: Gloves off in Cathedral Square
Things got rowdy in Christchurch's Cathedral Square today, where John Key had arrived to address about 150 National Party faithful.
by about a dozen Labour supporters, who held up placards and chanted slogans in an attempt to drown out the National leader's message.
Examples of their slogans included "The world is voting left" and "Where is Mr Flip-Flop?", according to the Herald's reporter on the scene, Claire Trevett.
Key was up to the verbal jousting, at one stage refering to the hecklers as he retorted, "they're only talking to us because no-one else will listen to them!"
1.20pm: Beliefs questioned
Prime Minister Helen Clark is hitting back at critics who accuse her and her government of undermining Christian values.
It has been a common theme on the campaign trail, particularly from Christian conservative political groups such as the Family, Pacific, and Kiwi Parties.
But the PM disputes the accusation, saying Christian values do influence her politics. She explained she went to a Presbyterian Sunday School as a child and to church every Sunday when she was at High School.
12.35pm: Me and Mr Jones
League legend
was on hand to greet Prime Minister Helen Clark when she arrived for a
stroll through the Westfield Manukau mall
, reports the Herald's Brooke Donovan, on the trail with the PM today.
Jones is a strong Labour man.
The pair will be relieved that Manukau is a fully covered shopping precinct, as the lunchtime weather has turned abysmal in Auckland today, with temperatures dropping and showers lashing the city.
10.35am: Brief stopover in trout fishing territory
John Key is now on his way to Christchurch from Taupo, reports Claire Trevett.
In Taupo, he staged a brief question and answer session with locals, including an enquiry about his stated intention to assume the tourism portfolio should he become PM.
His visit there was to show support to local National candidate
, who is trying to defeat the Labour incumbent, and to catch up with National list candidate Georgina Te Heuheu.
9.45am: Seen one shopping centre, you've seen the Mall
There are two big Auckland shopping centre visits in Helen Clark's diary today. At lunchtime the PM will be meeting shoppers at Westfield Manukau, and after 5pm she will do a walkabout at the new Sylvia Park mall in Mt Wellington.
9.30am: Peters lending support to Mark
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters will be rallying the troops in Rimutaka today.
He is visiting the Wellington electorate to lend support to candidate
who is making a bid for the seat held by departing Labour MP Paul Swain.
NZ First rates itself a chance to win the seat due to the high proportion of Defence Force and Corrections Department staff who live in the electorate, hoping Mr Mark's tough line on law and order will win support.
9.25am: Clark not ruling out Maori Party MP in cabinet
Prime Minister Helen Clark is refusing to rule out a Maori Party MP becoming a Minister of Maori Affairs in a Labour-led government.
In recent weeks, the PM has been warming to the idea of forming an agreement with the Maori Party after the election.
When asked whether one of the Maori Party's four MPs could become Maori Affairs Minister, she would only say she has tremendous confidence in Parekura Horomia, who currently holds the portfolio.
9.20: Key in Taupo
National Party leader John Key has touched down in Taupo, where a small (low-Key?) rally in the centre of town will be followed by a walkabout and a chat with locals.
9.00am: Greens promote home-grown
Australian Green Party leader
is in New Zealand this week.
He's been scrutinising food labels in an Auckland supermarket with Green MP Sue Kedgley and claims the system is deceptive.
He said he cannot believe the bill for country-of-origin labelling was blocked by Labour and National.
"It's so important for farmers that their local produce be sold locally. It's fresher, it's better, it has a smaller carbon and environmental footprint."
Brown says New Zealand shoppers should be given the choice to buy local produce.
7.45am: Nats leader starts whistle-stop tour
John Key has just landed in Napier in the first stop of his blitz of the nation. Key has hired a charter plane and is travelling with media including the Herald's Claire Trevett.
The plane took off from Auckland at 6.30 and today's itinerary takes in Napier, Taupo, Christchurch and Nelson before over-nighting in Wellington and continuing on tomorrow.
Today's first stop is for a breakfast barbecue. In Taupo, he will do a walkabout of the central area and will do the same at Cathedral Square and Northlands Mall in Christchurch.
Key will visit the Sealords factory in Nelson before overnighting in Wellington.
He said they had always planned to sweep the nation in the last two days.
"This is just an opportunity to sweep through NZ to get out as much of the party vote as possible and demonstrate we are taking nothing for granted," he said.
Asked if the plane tour had echoes of the US presidential campaign style, Key said: "Oh I wouldn't draw any of those analogies".
* Media on board the plane chartered by John Key are paying for their own travel costs.
- NZHERALD STAFF, with NZPA and NEWSTALK ZB
On this weekend; hot rods, music festival and cellar door art exhibition