AUCKLAND — New Zealand’s National and Labour parties launched their 2026 general election campaigns on Sunday, opening a roughly six-week run toward what polls suggest could be a knife-edge contest, RNZ reported.
National leader Christopher Luxon’s central Auckland launch was expected to stress the government’s record and a “build the future” message, while Labour leader Chris Hipkins held his event in South Auckland after telling a recent public meeting he was “just getting warmed up.” An Ipsos Issues Monitor released this week listed cost of living, healthcare, the economy, unemployment and housing as voters’ top concerns.
Labour was still rated most capable on those issues but lost ground on every measure, narrowing the gap with National. The government’s performance score held at 4.1 out of 10. Election day is November 7.
Sources: RNZ
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