KEY POINTS:
2.15pm: Gizza job
Prime Minister Helen Clark announces that Labour will remove restrictions on the unemployment benefit as part of a $50 million transitional assistance package for those who lose their jobs as a result of the global financial crisis.
Under Labour's package, all people who lose their jobs will be able to claim the unemployment benefit for 13 weeks without any means testing.
The "job search allowance" will only be available to those who are laid off, not those who are sacked or choose to leave their jobs.
1.15pm: Stumble on the trail
Prime Minister Helen Clark has taken a fall while shaking hands with the public in Riccarton Mall, reports the Herald's Patrick Gower.
Helen Clark slipped and fell forwards. She was not injured and was helped to her feet by diplomatic protection officers.
Immediately after the fall, she greeted another person and shook their hand.
John Key has expressed his concern for Helen Clark's welfare and said he hopes she is ok.
Wonder if someone got it on video. I guess we'll know soon; if so, it should appear on You Tube.
12.31pm: Ambush on the Kapiti Coast
Jeanette Fitzsimons, the co-leader of the Green Party, 'ambushed' National leader John Key as he was walking through Paraparaumu's Coastlands Mall this morning.
The Herald's political editor Audrey Young says Fitzsimons jumped out at Key from a coffee bar to confront him over National's plan to exclude farmers from participating in Emissions Trading Scheme.
Key stopped and spoke with Mrs Fitzsimons for a few minutes, conceding that National would be looking at how the ETS affected farmers.
Fitzsimons then held a small press conference surrounded by about half a dozen Green supporters waving placards and banners.
Audrey Young said the scene was reminiscent of Rod Donald's ambush of Don Brash in Rotorua during the last election campaign, when the late Greens co-leader confronted the former National leader over the Exclusive Brethren leaflets.
11.53am: Key calls on 'Catwoman' to address H-Fee story
National leader John Key drew a crowd of about 200 to the Southwards Museum this morning when he addressed the Kapiti branch of Grey Power. That compared with the 80 Helen Clark drew yesterday and the mere 50 Winston Peters drew earlier in the campaign.
The Herald's political editor Audrey Young said Mr Key received a warm welcome and there were no questions about the H-Fee issue from members of the crowd. Mr Key did make a brief reference to the issue at the start of his speech, saying that while Helen Clark couldn't work out what she had signed - a reference to the Paintergate scandal - she was now trying to work out what he hadn't signed.
Speaking to reporters afterwards he referred to one of the sources of the H-Fee story who calls himself Batman.
"Maybe Catwoman will have something to say this afternoon," he quipped - a possible reference to the fact that Labour appears to have gone to ground over the story.
Mr Key is now on his way to the Coastlands Mall in Paraparaumu, where he will meet members of the public in a walkabout.
11.21am: Race to announce 'transitional assistance' packages
Prime Minister Helen Clark is expected to unveil Labour's transitional assistance package in Christchurch this afternoon. Yesterday she said it would be released in the next couple of days, setting up a head-to-head battle with a similar National package John Key will release tomorrow.
Mr Key has said National's package will involve temporary cash grants for people with significant financial commitments, such as mortgages, who lose their job as a result of the gloomy global economy.
10.17am: 'I have nothing to hide'
That's the word from National leader John Key on the allegations raised yesterday afternoon that he had some involvement in the so-called H-Fee transactions of 1988.
Mr Key told Radio New Zealand today he was "absolutely not" involved in the transactions and had made no attempt to mislead anyone when talking to the media about it. He admitted he had lunch with the New Zealand conduit for the transactions - a man who had worked closely with him over three years, but had no involvement with the scam.
"What we have seen is the Labour Party going on a dirt digging exercise, sending their research unit and their president to Australia. It's just more of a smear campaign from Labour.
"There's been a pattern of behaviour by the Labour Party. They have spent the last two or three years focused on scandals and trying to dig dirt."
- NZPA, NZ HERALD STAFF
