KEY POINTS:
National Party leader John Key says he will run a positive campaign and offer voters a government that will focus on issues that matter to them.
"This election is not about the past," he said at a press conference after Prime Minister Helen Clark had announced the November 8 election date.
"It's not about the old political battles of the past 20 or 30 years. It's about New Zealand's future, it's about the future of New Zealand families, it's about seizing the opportunities of a new century in a positive, optimistic way."
Mr Key said National would run a four- to five-week campaign and he was not going to use it attacking Helen Clark.
"The voters will decide that - they've had nine years of her," he said.
Mr Key said he would release National's tax policy in the first week of the campaign and it would sit alongside other core policies like health, education and law and order.
Mr Key said he was not worried about leading his first campaign against the vastly experienced PM.
He thought his private sector background gave him the ability to bring a fresh approach to politics and government.
Mr Key did not want to dwell on the Government's problems and Winston Peters.
"I think New Zealanders are sick of sideshows. They're struggling with an economy in recession...on November 8 they have a chance to rule a line under the past three years and choose a fresh start."
Mr Key said he expected there would be "a lot of red ink" when the Treasury delivered its pre-election fiscal update and he promised National would be prudent, strong managers of the economy.
The fiscal update will be released in the first two weeks of next month.
Earlier, the Prime Minister put an end to speculation about an election date by fixing it as November 8.
Helen Clark made the announcement at a media conference at the Beehive in Wellington at 12.30pm today.
She said the 2008 election would be based on trust and used the conference to outline Labour's achievements in government and vision for the future.
"This election is a choice between a Government which has shown it can make tough choices and an opposition which flip flops on almost every major issue," she said.
"Labour is ambitious for New Zealand. National is ambiguous on New Zealand."
National leader John Key will give his reaction at a press conference in Wellington at 3.30pm.
Chief Electoral Officer Robert Peden said this afternoon: "Our returning officers in each electorate will now move to confirm the locations of about 2,700 polling places and 270 advance voting places across the country and recruit and train around 16,000 people to work on election day.
"Our focus is on running an accurate and smooth election, and making voting easy and accessible."
Helen Clark listed successes of her Labour-led Government but said much remained to be done.
The Prime Minister had previously refused to speculate on the timing of the polls.
The last possible date was November 15, which would have given candidates six weeks on the campaign trail.
Parliament will now dissolve on October 3 with nomination day on October 14.
The November 8 date will give Labour's October 1 tax cuts time to take effect and give the party more time to try to claw back National's poll lead.
Act leader Rodney Hide said the election "can't come quick enough".
"Kiwis are sick and tired of Helen Clark's 'nanny-knows-best' - and now unprincipled - Government," he said after the announcement.
How to vote:
Everyone enrolled by 8 October 2008 will get their personalised EasyVote card and information pack in the mail to take with them when they vote.
"The EasyVote card will make voting easier and more straightforward," says Chief Electoral Officer, Robert Peden. "We encourage people to take their EasyVote card with them when they vote."
Polling places will be open from 9.00am until 7.00pm on Election Day, Saturday 8 November 2008.
Anyone who can't get to a polling place on Election Day or who is overseas will be able to vote in advance. Advance voting opens from 22 October 2008.
More information including the election timetable will be available from www.elections.org.nz
- NZ HERALD STAFF, NZPA
