KEY POINTS:
John Key's log: 05-11-2008
Yesterday I spent time campaigning in Tauranga and Rotorua, and released our action plan for the first 100 days of government.
While my opponents have been busy desperately trying to dig dirt, I've continued to be focused on the issues that matter to New Zealanders.
In Tauranga, I announced that a National-led government will build the Tauranga Central Corridor roading project for a cost $100 million.
Moving on to Rotorua, I released National's plans for its first 100 days in office should we win the election.
Our action plan covers four main areas - the economy, law and order, education and health. National is ready to deliver a fresh approach.
Our policies are fully costed and funded.
One more thing: if Labour spent less time digging dirt and more time on the issues that matter, then we would not be facing a decade of deficits. There are big challenges ahead for New Zealand.
They don't involve secret tapes or sending party presidents to Australia to bring back thousands of pages of documents to scour for dirt on your political opponents.
Those challenges are in the core areas Kiwis care about - the ones I've just listed.
Today I am in Auckland, and tonight I will attend the second TVNZ debate.
John Key
Helen Clark's log: 05-11-2008
It was a whirlwind trip to Wellington yesterday for a Cabinet meeting before a walk down Upper Hutt's Main St with Labour's Rimutaka candidate, Chris Hipkins.
With the temperature struggling to reach 16 degrees, it was a grey day with drizzle and the occasional cold nor'westerly - but that didn't cool the warmth with which people greeted me. Even media who lived locally joked about being there as a constituents.
Retail staff, shoppers and passersby were all keen to stop for a chat, and the warm and supportive comments were heartening. The need for coffee saw us call into Cafe Romeo where owner Romeo Jovanovic and I chatted about his business while barista Anna Wagner whipped up a vanilla latte for me. She did admirably under the glare of TV cameras.
An Upper Hutt College school leaver asked what Labour would do for his friends still at school. This was a good chance to talk about our Schools Plus programme about which I'm very passionate. While the National Party would offer trade training to only a select few, Labour will ensure all secondary schools can offer students opportunities for further education or trade training through to age 18.
Labour's education policy released yesterday includes commitments to: Schools Plus; a two-teacher minimum for small sole-charge rural schools; addressing low-pay issues for school support staff; further increasing operational grants for all state and state-integrated schools; and increasing investment in special education.
What to watch for today: TVNZ's second leaders' debate.
Helen Clark
