Future of NZ First uncertain

RADIO NEW ZEALAND: New Zealand First deputy leader Peter Brown says it is uncertain who will be leading the party or standing for Parliament at the next election.

The party's former MPs are in the process of packing up after their election loss.

Mr Brown says there has been a lot of positive feedback from the public.

He says he has been surprised by the level of support and by the number of people who still want the party in Parliament.

However, he says there will be a number of changes, including the way party funds are handled and in personnel.

Listen to Morning Report interview with Peter Brown

Maori Party on board - Key

ONE NEWS: Prime Minister designate John Key is just days away from forming a new National-led government, and the Maori Party looks likely to be part of it. 
It has now considering policy concessions, and possible ministerial roles in a National-led government.

The party's leaders met with Key at parliament on Tuesday morning.
They say while they have to consult with colleagues and supporters first, it's possible a decision on what kind of support role they will play could be made as early as Sunday.
That would fit with National's plan to go to the Governor General with its plans for a multi-party government on Monday or Tuesday and to swear in ministers before John Key flies out to Apec in Peru on Thursday.

"A preference would be that if there was to be three partners with National, for all three partners to be sworn in as part of the government on that particular day," says Key.

The Maori Party is describing the relationship they are looking for with National as "mana-enhancing".

"It's like treaty relationship but without making any presumptions about who's a treaty partner in this instance. But it's eyeball to eyeball," says Pita Sharples, Maori Party co-leader.

Key will also meet with the Act leader Rodney Hide and United Future leader Peter Dunne on Tuesday afternoon.

The incoming prime minister has already secured the votes he needs for a majority in parliament.

The Act Party on Monday pledged support on confidence and supply, adding its five votes to National's 59 for a total of 64 in the 122-member parliament.

National could rule with that alone but Key wants his government to be as broad-based as possible and is bringing in Dunne and the Maori Party, which won five seats in the election.

With those two signed up, Key would have an overwhelming 70 votes in parliament against the combined opposition forces of 52 held by Labour, the Greens and Jim Anderton.

National is not going to form a coalition government with Act. Hide will be given a ministerial position but it will be outside cabinet.

Dunne will also be given a portfolio and will be a minister outside cabinet.

Those arrangements are the same as Labour worked out with Winston Peters and Dunne after the 2005 election, and they allow the minor parties latitude to criticise the government.

Key was expected to offer  the Maori Party co-leaders the same sort of deal. Sharples has said he wants a ministerial role but Turia might not because she has said she will retire from politics at the next election.

Hide said before Monday's meeting his party wanted the emissions trading scheme scrapped and much tougher law and order legislation put through Parliament. Those issues are still being negotiated.

The crucial element of the support agreements Key is working on is that the minor parties will vote with National on confidence and supply.

Confidence votes demonstrate a government's ability to prove that parliament has confidence in it, and apply to budget legislation.

Supply votes are routine and authorise the Treasury to release money for the public service. If a supply vote was lost, the public service would cease functioning and the government would have to resign.

If it lost a confidence vote it would also have to resign, because it would not have been able to pass essential legislation like the budget.

Key wants to form his government as quickly as possible so he can start working on ways to deal with the deteriorating economic situation and attend the Apec meeting.

Caucus cheers

Meanwhile, there were cheers and applause as National's MPs gathered together at parliament pfor the first time since Saturday's election victory.

Among the new team of 59 MPs, were 16 new faces including the new MP for Auckland Central,28-year-old Nicki Kaye, Tauranga's Simon Bridges and new list MP Kanwal Bakshi.

The biggest applause was saved for John Key's entrance into the room.

He says with a caucus of 59 MPs, it's a large group and it's a privilege to be the leader.

When Key entered parliament in 2002, National had just come off its worst election result and had just 27 MPs.

Low turnout on polling day

RADIO NEW ZEALAND: Voter turnout in the 2008 general election appears to have been one of the lowest in a century.

Provisional results show that 78.69% of the 2,935,537 people enrolled to vote actually cast one.

It is the second lowest turnout since the 1978 election, and the third lowest since 1902.

Victoria University political scientist Stephen Levine says people's voting behaviour, including whether to vote at all, is affected if there is an expectation of the likely outcome of an election.

Mr Levine says the consistency of opinion polls - that the National Party would win - leading up to the election may have played a part in the low voter turnout.

Labour ponders over election defeat

ONE NEWS: The new leader of the Labour Party, Phil Goff, is planning a review of why the party was voted out of office.

But Goff believes the election result is not an indication of anger at the direction the country was being taken.

He believes it's because  people wanted a change after nine years of the same government.

Goff says the result of he review will be studied to ensure Labour can mount a strong challenge at the next election in three years.

Labour's caucus on Tuesday elected Goff to take over the leadership of the party from Helen Clark.

Annette King will be the deputy leader, with David Cunliffe the party's finance spokesman.

Cunliffe, who could have challenged Goff, ruled out standing for the leadership earlier.

Goff had been tipped to take leadership of the party before Tuesday's announcement, but had previously said he would support any decision taken by the party's 43 MPs.

Clark announced she was standing down after Saturday night's election result, as did her deputy, Michael Cullen. She has been named as Foreign Affairs spokeswoman.

Darren Hughes and Steve Chadwick have been elected the Senior and Junior Opposition Whips respectively.

Goff says Labour would be a strong and effective opposition.

"In government, Labour succeeded because it had a united, disciplined and motivated parliamentary and ministerial team," he says.

"The outcome of today's caucus demonstrates that Labour will be a strong, united and determined opposition."

Goff first came to parliament in 1981 and was a minister in the Labour government which was in power from 1984 to 1990, and from 1999 to 2008.

He was foreign minister from 1999 to 2005, when the position was given to Winston Peters as part of its support deal with Labour.

Goff took on defence, trade and corrections. He was previously ranked fourth in the cabinet.

King first came to parliament in 1984 and like Goff has also has wide experience as a minister.

She held the employment and immigration portfolios in the previous Labour government and was Minister of Health from 1999 to 2005. Since then she has held the justice, police and transport portfolios. King is ranked fifth in the cabinet.

Labour is known to want a man and a woman in the top two positions, believing that would be the most effective way to take on National's John Key and his deputy Bill English.

Meanwhile, New Zealand's incoming Prime Minister John Key says he is not worried in the slightest by Labour's new leadership of Phil Goff and Annette King.

He wasted no time in attacking the decision to appoint Goff as leader.

"It (the choice of leader) is about as inspiring as their election campaign was," Key told Radio New Zealand when the decision to appoint Goff appeared likely.

"If they want to make a generational change I would have thought they would look to a young leader," he says.

United Future leader Peter Dunne says the decision to make Goff leader, was a clear choice.

"I think probably in the circumstances it is the obvious choice whether it is more than a transitional team though is still to be resolved."

Act leader Rodney Hide was more gracious. He congratulated the new leadership and recognised the extraordinary service of Clark and Cullen.

"Phil Goff and Annette King are politicians who clearly have the qualities required to lead the Labour Party. They are well respected and we look forward to working with them for the good of our country," he says.

"We don't always agree, but I know Phil Goff and Annette King put their country first."

Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons also congratulated the pair.

"Well they are both very experienced and they are both very competent and I wish them well."
She held concerns about the process," she says.

Labour MPs consider leadership positions

RADIO NEW ZEALAND: Outgoing Labour Cabinet ministers are meeting on Monday as they try to ensure a smooth transition to a new leadership team for their party.

Leader Prime Minister Helen Clark announced on election night she would stand down immediately as Labour leader, after the National Party won enough seats to form the next government.

Deputy-leader Michael Cullen is also standing down. He said on Sunday it was time to step aside as deputy leader as the party rebuilds, but would continue to serve in Parliament.

The meeting of the Labour Cabinet, which started late Monday morning, is likely to be the last before the National-led Government is sworn in by Governor-General Anand Satyanand.

It is designed to reach agreement on who should replace Helen Clark and Michael Cullen as leader and deputy leader.

Radio New Zealand's political editor says if agreement can be reached quickly there would be nothing to stop a formal vote on Tuesday, when all Labour MPs meet for the first time since Saturday's election loss.

Senior MP Phil Goff is tipped to replace Helen Clark, while some suggest Annette King would be the ideal deputy.

Roger Douglas will not be silent

RADIO NEW ZEALAND: Sir Roger Douglas, who will be one of ACT's five MPs, is warning the incoming National Government not to expect him to be silent.

Prime Minister elect John Key begins the process of forming a Government on Monday, holding preliminary meetings with the leaders of ACT and United Future.

Mr Key has publicly stated that Sir Roger, who was a Labour finance minister in the 1980's, will not hold a Cabinet position.

However Sir Roger told Nine to Noon it is not certain whether he will remain ruled out, and if he is, there is still room for him as a "sideline commentator."

Sir Roger said his views will be known, and there is "no way" he is going to sit in Parliament over the next three years and be silent.

He said the reforms he made in the 1980s are still in place, unchanged by either a National or Labour-led Government.

National has enough seats to govern with potential coalition partners ACT and United Future, after a sweeping victory in the 2008 general election on Saturday.

Bill English, who is due to become Finance Minister in the new Government, says his party is set to start receiving briefings on the state of the economy.

Mr English told Nine to Noon there will be no cabinet position for Sir Roger Douglas, but said the Government would be open to receiving economic advice from a wide range of people.

United Future leader Peter Dunne said ACT should keep in mind that the party holds only five compared to National's 59.

"If it sees its performance on Saturday as a justification for an unleashing of another right-wing binge, then I think that's not what the country wants or needs."

Listen to Bill English and Sir Roger Douglas on Nine to Noon

Key meets with potential Govt supporters

ONE NEWS: The business of forming a government is underway for John Key.

The prime minister-designate arrived back in Wellington on Monday morning to get talks underway with both the Act and United Future parties.
The National leader is hoping the formation of a government will be a swift process and also says he will be having briefings with top officials in the next few days.

Meanwhile, Key has made it clear that former Labour finance minister and Act co-founder Sir Roger Douglas will not have a ministerial position in his new Cabinet.
But his coalition partner, Act's current  leader Rodney Hide, says Douglas will have some part to play as one of Act's five MPs.

Hide is also happy with Key's decision to work with the Maori Party.

Maori party co-leader Pita Sharples says any offer on the table from National will have to be discussed with party supporters.

Key is meeting the leaders of the minor parties he intends bringing into his government so he has 70 votes in Parliament on confidence and supply.

Those votes are crucial for a government to command the confidence of parliament, and with 70 he will have an overwhelming majority over the 52 votes of Labour and the Greens.

Key is meeting first on Monday afternoon with Hide. Act is already committed to supporting National and the agreement was formalised during the campaign.

They will talk about ministerial positions for Act and the extent of its responsibilities within a coalition or support agreement, although Hide says that isn't his main concern.

"The number one thing is to form a stable and secure government and to give the country some certainty and sense of direction," he said on Sunday.

The Act leader says his party isn't going into the negotiations with any bottom lines, and reaching agreement isn't expected to be difficult.

Key will also meet Peter Dunne. The United Future leader committed himself to supporting National before the election and he doesn't have any colleagues to consult because he is UF's only MP.

Then there is the Maori Party, with its five MPs. Key doesn't need them for a majority but he wants to bring them into his "inclusive" government.

Whether the Maori Party MPs get any portfolio responsibilities will depend on the negotiations, Key says. He will also be holdings talk with the Maori Party on Tuesday to discuss a possible support role.

Key wants to be sworn in as prime minister by Monday of next week so he could leave for Peru, where the Apec summit meeting is being held the following day.

He says he expects the Apec summit, where the leaders of all the world's major economies will meet, is going to turn into an economic summit.

Also on Key's immediate agenda is a briefing from the Reserve Bank and the Treasury, probably in the middle of the week, on the deteriorating economy.

"We see the economy as front and centre stage of the issues we face," he says.

On Tuesday morning all the National MPs will meet together for the first time.
Meanwhile, outgoing prime minister Helen Clark is presiding over her last Cabinet meeting on Monday as her colleagues think about a new Labour leadership.
They have to find someone to replace her as leader as well as deputy leader Michael Cullen who is  also stepping down.

Key may offer Clark int'l role

STUFF.CO.NZ: Prime Minister-elect John Key says he would be happy for his predecessor Helen Clark to take a role on the international stage if that is what she wanted.

Miss Clark announced she was standing down as Labour leader last night after losing yesterday's election, though she intended staying on as the MP for Mt Albert for now.

Mr Key told journalists today there was a historic precedent for former prime ministers to take on an international role in order to use their abilities after their time in Parliament ceased.

"That would be something that clearly we could discuss in the future, but I wouldn't rule it out," Mr Key said.

"I think most New Zealanders would recognise the enormous service that Helen Clark has done."

Asked if he saw Miss Clark in an ambassadorial role, Mr Key said it was far too early to say, as he did not know whether Miss Clark was interested in such a job.

"I am simply recognising her skills."

Former National prime minister Jim Bolger served as ambassador to Washington.

Key preparing for APEC next week

RADIO NEW ZEALAND: National Party leader John Key says he hopes to be sworn in as Prime Minister in time to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation leaders' summit in Peru next week.

Mr Key says it is in the best interests of the new Government for him to attend.

He says the 20th APEC Ministerial Meeting, in Lima on 19 and 20 November, is an important meeting as it will focus on the international financial crisis.

Mr Key says National needs to work in co-operation with the outgoing Government to see if it is possible for him to attend, and at the moment that is unclear.

He would have to be sworn into office by Monday week to enable him to leave for the meeting the following day.

National has enough seats to govern with potential coalition partners ACT and United Future, after a sweeping victory in the 2008 general election on Saturday.

Mr Key says it is unlikely the results of special votes in a fortnight would change the election result.

Meanwhile, Mr Key says he expects to be able to work well with his Finance Minister Bill English.

ON TV3 on Sunday night Mr Key dismissed suggestions he and Mr English are polls apart in their financial ideals. He described both he and Mr English as very centrist.

Coalition discussions

Mr Key says while coalition discussions will be held over the next few days, starting in Wellington on Monday, he's focused on dealing with the economic crisis.

But he says despite the country's financial difficulties, his party will not be reneging on its election promises.

"We fully costed our programme; we didn't over promise. At $1.75 billion I don't believe the new budget spending could be any less than that. This isn't the time to pull up stumps and stop spending in the economy."

Mr Key says National's job as the new government will be to do everything it can to protect jobs and get the country back on a growth path.

Definitely centrist - Joyce

National Party campaign director Stephen Joyce says Mr Key has made it clear he will lead a centrist government.

But Mr Joyce, himself a new MP, says its partners have not been decided and it's not ruling out coalition with parties other than ACT.

He says Mr Key will be holding coalition discussions with United Future and the Maori Party as well, and a decision will be made after that.

But he says one thing Mr Key has made clear is that ACT's founder and the architect of Labour's right wing economic reforms of the 1980s will not assume a Cabinet position.

Listen to Stephen Joyce on Morning Report's Election Special

Mr Key and his leadership team, deputy leader Bill English and senior MP Gerry Brownlee, gathered in Auckland for a meeting on Sunday afternoon.

Tributes flow for Clark, Cullen

RADIO NEW ZEALAND: The Greens, Progressives and Maori Party have paid tribute to the Labour Party's outgoing leaders.

Miss Clark announced on election night she was stepping down as the party leader, while deputy leader Dr Cullen announced on Sunday it was time to step aside as the party rebuilds.

Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons says Helen Clark achieved a lot for New Zealand as Prime Minister, and she's sorry she won't be able to work with her further.

Ms Fitzsimons says she suspected Miss Clark would step down if Labour lost the election, but she didn't think she would do so so quickly. She says it was the honourable thing to do.

"Clearly Labour needs to regroup itself, and I think in her position I would have done the same thing. I think Helen has been a good Prime Minister; I think she has achieved a lot for New Zealand. I am sorry I won't have the opportunity of working with her further."

End of an era - Anderton

Progressive Party leader Jim Anderton, who was returned to Parliament, says Miss Clark's resignation is the end of an era.

He says her leadership as Prime Minister over the past nine years was unfaulted, and she made a sound improvement to New Zealand's social and economic position.

Mr Anderton says the shock resignation is typical of Miss Clark's decisive leadership style but he was still surprised by the announcement.

She became prime minister in November 1999, having previously served as deputy prime minister from 1989 - 1990.

Job not for me - King

Outgoing Police Minister Annette King says Miss Clark has been a fantastic leader, the best she's ever worked with, but the top Labour job is not for her.

Ms King says she's always made it clear that's it's not a role she wants to play, saying she thinks she's a good support person.

Listen to Labour's Annette King on Morning Report's Election Special on Helen Clark's decision

Turia lauds Cullen for Treaty work

Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia, who is a former Labour Party Minister, says Dr Cullen will be hard to match.

She say he has had a huge impact as Treaty Negotiations Minister.

"He's done a huge job. I guess what I like about Michael is when the going would get tough in Labour, Michael was never afraid to step up and address issues."

Turiana retiring ahead of 2011 election

RADIO NEW ZEALAND: Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia says she will retire from politics just before the next election in 2011.

The party won an extra Maori seat in the election, but fell short of securing all seven Maori seats.

Mrs Turia says the party is now focused on what it can achieve in its next three years in Parliament.

But the former Labour Minister says she will step down from the party at the end of this next term, to focus on her family.

Anderton looking forward to being in opposition

RADIO NEW ZEALAND: The leader of the Progressive Party, Jim Anderton, says he'll be a guerilla fighter as an MP on the opposition benches.

Mr Anderton retained his seat in Parliament, winning the Wigram electorate with a majority of more than 4,500 votes.

He says, in some ways, he's looking forward to his new role of holding a National-led government to account.

The Progressive Party missed out on gaining a second MP, which would have been former MP Matt Robson, having won support of 0.93% percent in the party vote.

NZ First fails to win seats, Peters concedes defeat

NEW ZEALAND HERALD: Winston Peters' political career appeared over last night, with the veteran suffering a humiliating defeat in Tauranga and New Zealand First looking unlikely to get the 5 per cent of the party vote needed to return to Parliament.

Peters' electorate campaign manager Carole Gordon said it would be sad not to have Winston back in the seat he lost to Bob "the Builder" Clarkson in 2002.

"There's a lot of recognition for what he's done in Tauranga," she said. "New Zealand First supporters are very loyal, loyal to principles of the party. It's not just a Winston cult."

In the end, it was as if Peters became tangled in his own conspiratorial web.

The last paid party political broadcast on Friday night said it all.

Winston Peters, alone in the lights. The Maori boy "born and raised in a tent", was perched in what looked like the Queen Mother's living room, china teapot and doilies at the ready, as he spent at least half of his last crucial three-and-a-half minutes of official propaganda time ranting about the bullies and bozos in the media.

"It's about you," he said, smiling down the camera and offering a Winston Churchill-style two-fingered "V". But the subtext was pure paranoia: They're all out to get me.

He is a chameleon, a paradox, a mercurial and obsessive survivor.

The veteran of 27 years in Parliament, much of which he has spent exposing, or starring in, some form of dramatic scandal.

He has been promoted, demoted and very nearly worshipped as MP, minister and party leader.

He's quit governments, formed governments, and almost broken governments.

But always he's lived to tell the tale (usually deep into the next morning over several whiskeys and two packets of cigarettes).

Even now it's almost scary to suggest he won't somehow pull through: that some horrendous mistake hasn't been made at polling HQ late last night. As the Herald's Colin James said: "One never says die of Winston. Remember him walking up to the podium to concede Tauranga in 1999, only to hear as he walked that he had won by a sliver?"

Who else could have deflected, with a mere wink, accusations of hypocrisy last election, after initially slamming the ungodly pursuit of the "baubles of office", only to emerge with the Minister-ship of Foreign Affairs dripping off him like some giant, jangly, medallion?

But the former teacher and lawyer and rugby winger is also, arguably, brilliant. And, to the irritation of his opponents, he has an uncanny propensity to be right. Even if only technically.

Helen Clark must have known this when she refused, time and again this year, to cut him loose or censure him over the Owen Glenn and Spencer Trust sagas.

Through select committee hearing and policy inquiry, she cringingly defended him only to watch him emerge out the end a tad stinky, but, as always, officially squeaky clean.

And when he wasn't right about Something the temptation was to let him be.

Peters' tangential, relentless, obfuscative and weird arguments would render any reporter or political opponent so exhausted and confused they would be diving for the nearest exit.

"Arguing with Winston," said ACT leader and sometime nemesis Rodney Hide, "is like trying to swim through an ocean of spaghetti".

Yet he's one of Parliament's charmers, which, along with his inimitable wit, is one of the qualities he'll be most missed for. After 28 years in Parliament he's almost the last of the old guard, who still negotiate over a tumbler, or not uncommonly, a bottle of whiskey.

A door-opener, hand-shaker and deal-sealer who is very much a man of the people.

But ultimately, they were the wrong kind of people to see his remarkable run last another term.

While he might still be able to excite the old folks with the nightmares about a flood of dirty immigrants pouring in and stealing jobs, what, ultimately, does that matter, when your constituency is literally dying off?

Peters' career was forged by railing against big business, talking tough on immigration and crime, promising big (and to be fair, often delivering) to old people, and making wild allegations of conspiracy theories.

Over the years Russian submarines have charted local waters, the Government has covered up a ferry running aground, and the IRD and SFO have been wound up in a criminal conspiracy. And there were dozens more.

Most of which were not proven. But true to form they weren't strictly (as strictly as Peters demands) disproven either.

"One of the joys of the conspiracy theory, is it can never be disproven to the satisfaction of the conspiracy theorist," says Victoria University political psychologist Marc Wilson.

These kept him going for a while but Peters suffered because he kept banging the same drum and those who liked the sound of it were a dying breed, Wilson adds.

"Winston has stuck to the tried and true, which is a strength and a weakness, because you need to evolve.

"If there's one mistake Winston has made, it's that he hasn't changed his message. It's stale."

Besides, youth don't do conspiracy theories. They worship the soundbite, and switch off during the heavy-on-adjectives town hall rant of which Peters has always been the doyen.

They talk on Bebo and watch YouTube - something National got, and Labour didn't quite, this election. NZ First, on the other hand, battled on with a clunky old website that hadn't been modernised in six years.

The lustre of Peters' personality and wit wasn't enough in the end. That's not to say he didn't try.

His magic was on full beam at Matapihi's Hungahungatoroa Sports Club in the run-up to the election, when he shunned a place on the stage with the politicians and propped himself among his people in the crowd. Peters spoke last, introduced by master of ceremonies Charlie Timutimu, who first met Peters and his three brothers in 1971 when they all played for the Auckland University rugby team.

Timutimu recalled asking Alan Peters why his brother was on the wing. "Alan replied: `Oh, because he talks too much'," at which the crowd heartedly chuckled.

They might have left the joke there, but then that familiar smirk spread across Winston's face. The last word was his to take. "I was on the wing," he said, laughing, "because I could run fast".

Dunne opposes right swing

RADIO NEW ZEALAND: The United Future leader, Peter Dunne, says he plans to use his power in Parliament to moderate potential extremism in the new Government.

Mr Dunne is the party's only MP in Parliament, having won his electorate seat of Ohariu.

But with United Future winning less than one percent of the party vote, it loses Judy Turner. It's other MP from 2005, Gordon Copeland, contested the election under the Kiwi Party banner.

Mr Dunne says some people are concerned the new Government will swing too far to the right, but he hopes to prevent that.

Mr Dunne is likely to form a coalition with National and the ACT Party.

How the world responded

FAIFAX MEDIA: International media coverage of New Zealand's election are highlighting the fact that Prime Minister-elect John Key is a millionaire.

Business magazine Forbes starts its piece today saying the United States "has no monopoly on fast-rising political leaders. Six years ago, John Key quit a career in foreign exchange trading that had made him a millionaire to enter the New Zealand parliament…."

The London Times was more blunt: "Multimillionaire takes control of New Zealand".

It said Mr Key had handed Prime Minister Helen Clark a crushing election defeat.

The rival Daily telegraph had "wealthy investment banker" in its headline.

"Helen Clark, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, has been swept from power after nine years as voters swung decisively to the Right in the country's general election," the Telegraph said.

The Press Trust of India headlined "Kiwis vote for regime change" and noted it was the country’s first conservative government in almost a decade.

Voice of America said New Zealanders had "voted for change".

Across the Tasman the Sydney Morning Herald went for "Clark yields as Nats promise richer future" and added Mr Key “promised a more ambitious future for the country”.

Act ready to talk with Key

NEW ZEALAND HERALD: Rodney Hide and Act are preparing to sit down and talk turkey with National's John Key.

Hide, who held his Epsom seat, was elated last night when Act's part part in a National-led government was confirmed in a phone call from Key.

Hide's electorate success boosted the party's numbers in Parliament from two to five, including the party founder Sir Roger Douglas.

Rodney Hide said he had had no substantial negotiations about what role he and Act might play in a future National-led government but he would meet Key tomorrow.

"The people of Epsom have been very good to me and Act," he said as his supporters celebrated in Auckland.

"I have worked every day of the last three years to be the best MP I can be and to make them proud. I was humbled by the result in 2005 and I am even more elated to get an even better result this time."

Sir Roger had earlier signalled that John Key will have to revisit his position on excluding him from a ministerial post. Key had assured voters Sir Roger would not be given a job as a minister in his government. But the former Finance Minister could hold National to ransom as Key tries to form a government.

On his return to Parliament, Sir Roger said: "I decided that I wanted to go back because I believed that I could make a contribution. We've got a fairly serious situation ahead of us and we're probably not facing up to reality in some ways."

Last night's healthy result was a stark contrast from the 2005 election when Hide's surprise win in Epsom saved Act against all odds.

The 51-year-old wearer of the yellow jacket - renowned for strutting around awkwardly in lycra and sequins in Dancing With the Stars, losing his paunch and forking out about $20,000 in cosmetic dentistry - beamed as he celebrated his party's success last night at the Orakei RSA in Mission Bay.

"People have put their trust in me and I want to honour that; I want to make people proud of Act," he said.

Hide had previously told the Herald on Sunday that his entertaining media profile would not be responsible for his votes on the night; it would be entirely about the quality of the party's policies.

Key and Act have made no secret of their intended working relationship if the numbers came through for Act and they were needed, but all will be watching now to see what role Hide might play in the new government.

Hide says there have been no prior deals or promises made with National on what part he might play, and he says recent reports that he could be in charge of prisons and Inland Revenue were proposals about which he had no knowledge.

"The big thing is to get the policy sorted," he said.

What will Maori Party's role be?

STUFF.CO.NZ: The Maori Party will today begin trying to convince its members that it should work with the new National-led Government so it can gain policy successes for Maori people.

The party added one seat to the four it held in the last Parliament when Rahui Katene narrowly defeated Labour's Mahara Okeroa in Te Tai Tonga.

But it failed to achieve the clean sweep of the seven Maori seats that it had aimed for.

Labour's Parekura Horomia staved off the challenge of Derek Fox in Ikaroa-Rawhiti and Nanaia Mahuta beat Angeline Greensill in Hauraki-Waikato.

Maori Party MPs Pita Sharples, Tariana Turia, Hone Harawira and Te Ururoa Flavell all retained their seats with strong majorities.

Incoming prime minister John Key last night said he spoke to Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia about the possibility of being "connected" to the Government in some way.

Mr Key said he and the Maori Party would discuss that again some time next week.

Before that the Maori Party will talk to its own members asking what they want it to do.

It is a repeat of proceedings after the last election, when Maori Party leaders went to 28 hui and talked to their supporters.

But this time the only party it will be doing deals with is National.

Maori Party president Whatarangi Winiata told party faithful in Auckland last night that Mr Key, who grew up in a state house, was a man the party could get on with better than his predecessor Don Brash.

"He is a person who was brought up in modest circumstances and a person who is willing to listen," Prof Winiata said.

"So we hope that you will understand that the Maori Party will need to speak with the National Party and we will do that willingly if invited to do so."

Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples said he hoped it would get a say the way money was spent in portfolios such as education, health or social welfare and not just Maori Affairs.

"We don't want to be buried in some sort of ministry that's going to be treated as second class," Dr Sharples said.

Prof Winiata said he "doubted very much" that National would follow through with its policy of eventually abolishing the Maori seats.

"I think National will still want to talk to us because they have a long future with Maori," Prof Winiata said.

"If there is a sign that people still want an alternative Maori voice in Parliament then it will be dangerous for National, or any party, to get rid of them."

Greens third largest party

RADIO NEW ZEALAND: The Green Party is the third largest party in Parliament, and is hopeful of adding another MP.

It won 6.4% of the party vote, but hopes that special votes and the redistribution of votes from New Zealand First's loss, will see it put a ninth MP in Parliament.

Co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons said while it's disappointing the party won't get a shot at being in Government because of Labour's loss, it will still look for areas where it can work with National.

Russell Norman, the party's other co-leader, said the result is better than the 2005 result and although he hoped for more, he is buoyed by the fact the Greens were the only minor party to get over the 5% threshold.

He also said it set up the Greens to be a strong opposition voice in the new National-led government.

Sweeping win for National, Key

RADIO NEW ZEALAND: National Party leader John Key won a decisive victory in the 2008 general election. Outgoing Prime Minister Helen Clark announced she was standing down as Labour leader.

Mr Key addressed hundreds of his party faithful, telling them there will be a new National-led Government.

Speaking in Auckland the incoming Prime Minister said the result shows New Zealanders have spoken in their hundreds of thousands and called for change.

He said New Zealand had voted for a safer, more prosperous and ambitious New Zealand.

Mr Key said he is looking forward to leading the country, despite the challenges it faces.

National will be able to form a new Government with the support of ACT and United Future, while New Zealand First will not be returned to Parliament this term.

Clark stands down

Labour leader Helen Clark congratulated John Key in a speech to supporters at the Labour Party headquarters.

Miss Clark said she accepted the choice the public had made, and accepted responsibility for the election result.

She then announced she was standing down and expected Labour colleagues to elect a new leader before Christmas.

Miss Clark, who retained her Mt Albert electorate, earlier telephoned John Key to concede the election.

Party placings

National secured 45.5% of the party vote to Labour's 33.8%.

The results would give a potential National-led Government, with ACT and United Future, 65 seats in Parliament.

Labour would have 43 seats, the Green Party eight seats, the Maori Party five and United Future and Progressive one each.

ACT leader Rodney Hide won the Epsom electorate and his party gained 3.7% of the party vote.

United Future leader Peter Dunne, who would also line up with a National government, retained his Ohariu seat.

Mr Dunne said he planned to use his power in Parliament to moderate potential extremism in the new Government.

The Green Party gained a 6.4% of the party vote, which would give it eight MPs.

Co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons told about 200 supporters gathered in central Auckland the results give them a stronger voice in Parliament.

She also said she wonders whether in 20 years time people will look back on this election and say they're glad they voted for tax cuts rather than the future of their children.

New Zealand First was on 4.2%, but below the 5% threshold to get back into Parliament without winning an electorate.

Party leader Winston Peters lost Tauranga to National's Simon Bridges, and conceded defeat in a speech at his party headquarters.

The Maori Party won five of the seven Maori seats, and has 2.2% of the party vote.

Final results for the electorates

ELECTION RESULTS: Final election results for electorates and parties are available by clicking here.

General Election FINAL RESULTS

NZ VOTES '08 and ELECTIONRESULTS.GOVT.NZ: Election results will be updated every half-hour. LAST UPDATE AT 00:00am FINAL PARTY RESULTS

Party	Total Votes	Percentage
ACT New Zealand	77,831	3.72%
Alliance	1,721	0.08%
Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party	7,589	0.36%
Democrats for Social Credit	1,112	0.05%
Family Party	6,972	0.33%
Green Party	134,606	6.43%
Jim Anderton's Progressive	19,533	0.93%
Kiwi Party	11,658	0.56%
Labour Party	706,602	33.77%
Libertarianz	1,070	0.05%
Māori Party	46,868	2.24%
National Party	951,040	45.45%
New Zealand First Party	88,044	4.21%
New Zealand Pacific Party	6,991	0.33%
RAM - Residents Action Movement	405	0.02%
The Bill and Ben Party	10,738	0.51%
The Republic of New Zealand Party	298	0.01%
United Future	18,628	0.89%
Workers Party	824	0.04%
TOTAL	2092530	100.00%

All electorate results will be published later in the day.

And we're back!

NZ VOTES '08: After a short break due to the Electoral law, NZ Votes 2008 is now back online to keep you informed of the results updated every half hour right here on nzvotes08.blogpost.com.

Minor Party leaders place their votes

RADIO NEW ZEALAND: Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons cast her vote in the tiny Kauaeranga Hall, east of Thames.

She says she was looking forward to getting out into the garden on the sunny day.

Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples voted at a school in Manurewa, surrounded by family members.

He says he hopes the fine weather in Auckland will bring a record number of voters out.

His co-leader, Tariana Turia, voted at a school near her home town, Wanganui. She was spending the day celebrating her aunt's birthday.

ACT Party leader Rodney Hide took time out from reading a book to vote, along with his parents, near their home in the Tamaki electorate.

The Epsom MP says election days are a bit of an anti-climax after weeks of campaigning.

Clark and Key place their votes

ONE NEWS: National and Labour leaders John Key and Helen Clark have cast their votes in a general election that could see a record turnout of voters.

Labour leader Helen Clark and National leader John Key chose schools in their Auckland electorates to give their ticks with other leaders following suit at other booths around the country.

Clark and her husband Peter Davis voted at Kowhai Intermediate School in Mt Eden while Key and his wife Bronagh cast their votes at Parnell School, despite Key leaving his easy vote card at home.

Clark says her party is making every effort to get supporters to the polls.
"I've been out visiting very large headquarters for us, we have countless thousands of people mobilising Labour supporters out to the polling booths today, I'm feeling very good about it," she told reporters.

After placing his vote, Key spent time with campaign workers before heading home to be with his family.

Clark is spending the afternoon at Labour's election headquarters in Auckland.

Doors at New Zealand's 2700 polling stations opened at 9am and close at 7pm.

Chief Electoral Officer Robert Peden is aiming to have half of the results in by 10pm and a final result through by 11.30pm.  

Queues began to form at some polling centres shortly after opening and this, together with a record number of advance votes, has electoral officials hopeful that the turnout could be a record.

By 4pm on Friday, 2,979,366 people had enrolled to vote, almost 95% of those eligible, Electoral Enrolment Centre national manager Murray Wicks says.

In 2005 nearly 2.3 million people voted.

Peden says the number of advance votes - more than 200,000 - could be significant.

It is around 30% higher than the number of advance votes received in 2005, when 80% of eligible electors voted.

The first advance votes results should be known by 9pm.

Dementia patients forget they had already voted

ONE NEWS: A change to the voting laws is being demanded after revelations some dementia patients cannot remember casting early votes.

In one case relatives of a patient at a Christchurch rest home found out the elderly woman had voted despite not even recognising her own family.

Alzheimers New Zealand spokeswoman Lucille Ogston says under law anyone who is registered to vote is eligible.

But she's concerned some people in rest homes really would not be capable of making a decision and could be exploited.

Meanwhile, prisoners have had their say in the election.

Anyone serving a sentence of less than three years is entitled to vote.

Prison voting took place earlier in the week and the numbers will be added to the general population.

Election day partying

RADIO NEW ZEALAND: Party-lovers are preparing for election night festivities, with a nationwide organisation co-ordinating celebrations to encourage young people to vote.

The Electoral Commission has thrown its weight behind the Vote Party, which is publicising parties around the country on its website, voteparty.co.nz.

Big-screen election night coverage in bars, free food and drinks and street parties are among the events being held to boost turnout at the polls and to celebrate as the results come in.

One bash by the initiative's organisers has attracted DJ Mikey Havoc to its festivities.

Event organiser, Palmerston North student James Edwards, says it's a chance to celebrate the end of exams and the first election he's voted in.

He says the party is being held at a friend's flat and they began partying at midday, with the DJ and a local band, Roast Beef, joining in during the afternoon.

Mr Edwards says he knows some young people are apathetic about politics, but he and his flatmates have been keeping up with the election news.

Big-screen coverage in bars, free food and drinks and street parties are among the events being held as the results come in.

NZ Votes closed during polling, reopens now

NZ VOTES '08: In order to ensure that NZ Votes '08 complies with the Electoral law, we decided to shut down our website between 9am and 7pm. This also allowed us to test our posting tonight when we update the results, so it runs as smoothly as possible.

The website has since reopened to give everyone access to frequently updated results.

We apologise for any inconvenience.

Running since March for you

NZ VOTES '08: New Zealand Votes 2008 realises that the main part of the 2008 Election campaign is coming to an end. Tomorrow, NZ Votes '08 will not publish any material whatsoever until after the polls are closed at 7:00pm in light of the Electoral Act.

Vote Count

Every half hour, we endeavour to update the party election results on our website. The Electoral Commission is expecting all results to be counted by 11:30pm.

All other results including electorates etc will be added to this website after all the votes are in, in the form of a spreadsheet that you can download to your computer. This should be available on Sunday or Monday.

Media Coverage

TV One: Election '08, 7pm 8/11. Agenda, 10am 9/11. Sunday Election Special, 7:30pm 9/11

TV 3: Decision '08, 7pm 8/11. 3 News, 6pm 9/11

Radio New Zealand National: Election 2008, 7pm 8/11. Morning Report Election Special, 8am 9/11. MediaWatch Election Special, 10:10pm, 9/11

Post-election

After Election night, NZ Votes '08 will keep you informed with the post-election coalition deals so a party can try to inform a Government.

From 31 December 2008, we will not be posting to this website any more, however our website will continue to be available online.

Reviewing our coverage

We believe that over the election year, NZ Votes '08 has been balanced and fair to all parties contesting the election, especially to the eight parties in Parliament. If you wish to comment on our coverage, you are welcome to leave comments to the end of the blog post.

Looking to 2011

NZ Votes hopes to be back for the 2011 Election, in a similar form than currently, however we plan to open the blog from 1 January 2011, rather than part-way through the Election year.

Problems to fix, says Cullen

NATIONAL BUSINESS REVIEW: A Labour-led government would take an active role in promoting change in international financial markets, Finance Minister Michael Cullen said today.

He said the current crisis had a number of causes, and not all of them could be dealt with by improved regulation.

"Crucial changes can be made which should help make any future financial market disturbance less catastrophically destabilising than this one has been," he said in a statement.

"The first need is far greater disclosure requirements on financial institutions.

"Much of the current crisis has its roots in the complex, interwoven web of even more unreal debt instruments of which regulatory authorities, rating agencies and others were not fully aware."

Dr Cullen said that as a result, instruments which were in reality no better than junk bonds had high ratings, yet collapsed under the pressure of the first "chilly economic wind".

Secondly, Dr Cullen said, prudential regulators would need to have the power to prevent issuances which were patently unrelated to any adequate asset backing.

The third element would need to be much better co-ordination between regulatory authorities, both within national jurisdictions and across them.

"Finally, as the current financial crisis starts to abate, though the real economic consequences will go on for some time, it is important that there is international co-ordination of the current array of emergency measures which have been taken and how to exit from them," Dr Cullen said.

"In future we need to avoid the race to the bottom in terms of emergency measures such as deposit guarantee schemes which has characterised this crisis."

Three voting tips on Election day

ELECTIONS NEW ZEALAND: The Chief Electoral Office is giving voters three tips to make voting easier on Election Day, Saturday 8 November.

1. Take your EasyVote card with you when you vote. It will make voting easier.

2. If you can, vote at a polling place listed in your EasyVote information pack.

3. Go with a friend or family member if that would help.

“On Saturday 8 November close to three million people get their chance to vote at around 2,700 polling places across the country,” says Robert Peden, Chief Electoral Officer. “We do everything we can to make the process easy and accessible.”

New Zealanders can vote in any polling place in the country – but voting in their electorate on Election Day is the easiest way to vote.

“Vote close to home at a polling place listed in your EasyVote pack. This will avoid you having to cast a special declaration vote, which can take five times longer.

“Take your EasyVote card with you if you have one. All you need to do is hand it over when you get to the polling place, and you will get your ballot paper in return,” says Mr Peden.

People can still vote without their EasyVote card, but it will take longer.

Polling places are open from 9.00am until 7.00pm. The busiest times are usually between 9.00am and 11.00am. Polling places close at 7.00pm sharp.

“Polling places have been located at convenient places in each community to help make voting accessible,” says Mr Peden.

“People are welcome to go with friends and family when they vote. Sometimes this can be helpful for voters who have English as a second language.

“If you’ve got children take them with you so they get to see what happens on Election Day,” says Mr Peden.

The largest polling place - expected to have the most voters - is the Michael Fowler Centre in Wellington. The northern most polling place is Te Hapua School in Te Hapua. The southern most polling place is Halfmoon Bay School on Stewart Island.

“If you can’t get to a polling place on Election Day because you are sick or have a disability contact your local Returning Officer. They may be able to help arrange to get your ballot paper to you,” says Mr Peden.

On election night the results will be available from www.electionresults.govt.nz.

For a list of polling places click here.

National tried to dug up dirt on Clark's husband, Peter Davis - Labour

NATIONAL BUSINESS REVIEW: Labour leader Helen Clark says the National Party has used the Official Information Act to dig through her husband’s professional life, looking for a “smear” against her.

And that means John Key can’t claim the moral high-ground about the Labour party’s research into his past, she says.

Asked in her last televised interview before the election (to screen on Alt TV tonight) about Labour party president Mike Williams’ trip to Melbourne to look through court documents including evidence from Mr Key, Miss Clark told host Oliver Driver that as a public figure, both her husband’s and her lives had been “raked over.”

“In June this year when the health research council grants grants were announced my husband got a grant,” Miss Clark said, “because he’s a researcher at a university, goes back 40 years.”

“When those grants were announced National put in an Official Information Act request demanding to see all the reviewers’ reports, really trying to get at some kind of smear that my husband got grants not because of his academic reputation but because of me.”

Miss Clark’s husband, Peter Davis, is a well known academic. He is professor of sociology of health and well-being at the University of Auckland, and heads the Social Statistics Research Group.

National has said Labour is running a smear campaign on leader John Key. And while its campaign has been largely targeted at Mr Key and his integrity, background searches on politicians are the bread and butter of the large parties’ Parliamentary research unit.

“I do say, that in public life we have to be prepared to have people rake over our backgrounds,” Miss Clark said. “They’ll even get into our spouses background.”

“I haven’t put this to the media before. But the thought that Mr Key thinks he’s going to sit there and noone is ever going to do any research on him is ridiculous. The rest of us have had our lives raked over.”

Scuffles meet Key in Palmy

ONE NEWS: Scuffling between National and Labour supporters forced National leader John Key to change his plans in Palmerston North on Friday.

Key flew in to Palmerston North on the final day of the campaign as part of a whistlestop tour of eight towns and cities.

However, a scuffle developed at a street corner rally minutes before Key arrived.

It started when a National supporter tried to wrestle a megaphone from Labour supporter Wayne Ruscoe who was chanting "John Key is the anti-Obama".

The supporter, who refused to be named but told reporters he was a former National Party member, ripped the megaphone off Ruscoe and told him to move on.

Police initially refused to interfere, but later stood between the two.

Another National supporter, retired pharmacist Cameron Duncan, also took issue with Ruscoe telling him: "Why don't you go jump into bed with your lesbian partner".

He also tried to take the megaphone off Ruscoe.

Ruscoe says he is considering making a complaint to police.

Senior Sergeant Brett Calkin, who was at the rally, says he has spoken to the first National supporter and did not intend to take it further, as there appeared to have been scuffling on both sides.

However, it was clear to those who witnessed the incident that the National supporter had forcibly taken the megaphone off Ruscoe.

Key later told reporters the overflowing passions were due to the strong campaign National had run, but he did not want to see that get out of control.

He says he did not condone any actions from supporters that stepped over the line.

Ruscoe was one of three groups protesting at Key's rally. The others were Green supporters and a group protesting against what they say are National's plans to privatise health.

Key initially planned to spend about an hour at the strip mall, where about 100 National supporters had gathered, but cut short the rally and walkaround to have a coffee at a downtown cafe.

In a short stump speech Key hammered home National's promises to boost economic growth, lift education standards and make communities safer.

Key entered the final day buoyed by four polls in the last 24 hours showing it has enough support to lead the next government.

Earlier on Friday he shook hands and chatted to commuters at Wellington railway station.

He was challenged by one young voter on National's plans to introduce a 90-day probation period for new workers, but received a cordial response from most others.

About 50 placard-bearing National supporters turned up to see Key.

The Wellington campaigning is part of a whistle-stop tour that saw Key charter a plane to blitz eight towns and cities in the last two days of the campaign.

Key will fly into Palmerston North and New Plymouth on Friday before ending up in Auckland where he will hit the malls and hold a series of rallies.

He will close his campaign with a rally in his Helensville electorate about 6pm.

All campaigning as well as media reports that could sway voters are banned from midnight.

Labour rests future in Auckland

ONE NEWS: Given the polls some may think it would take an act of God to see Labour re-elected but Prime Minister Helen Clark is not counting on a higher power - she's keeping faith in the voters in Auckland.

Clark is counting on "heartland" votes, people in Auckland, to get out and vote on Saturday.

On Friday Clark's day started with a session at Newstalk ZB. Among callers was Lesley who was unhappy with the PM's claim she lived by Christian values.

"Your agenda and action in public for the past nine years has been to wreck the tenants of Christianity in our country."

Clark reminded her the more controversial pieces of social legislation are private members bills.

She told Lesley that it was often said the Labour Party in New Zealand owed more to Methodism than to socialism and there had always a very strong brand of Christian socialism in it. She says many Christian principles are good.

"I spent my childhood (going to) Presbyterian Sunday school and of course going to Presbyterian church every Sunday while I was in high school... I do know what I am talking about on this I think there are good and basic principles. I don't personally happen to be a religious person but I do recognise those common good values."

While her opponent, National leader John Key, jetted around the country, Clark's Presbyterian work ethic saw her set a relentless pace visiting factories, malls and street corners in Manukau and Mt Wellington.

At one mall league great Stacey Jones stopped by to show his support. The pair chatted about the Kiwis' chances of success; "Yes they can (win)," Clark told him.

"They've just got to believe in themselves eh."

Clark told reporters she was optimistic left-wing parties would win enough votes to form a government and the time for a change message was meaningless.

"Change to what?" she asked.

"It's a huge jump into the unknown to go down a track at this time of voting for people who have an agenda of cutting back our public spending, selling our assets, privatising our key services. People know what they are getting with Labour."

Polls have not been good news for Labour which Clark says was a mismatch with feeling on the ground.

"In the end I am saying this is one for the true believers, if people want a Labour-led government they'll get out and vote for it."

On Friday she will have another full day in Auckland with the goal of turning that faith into votes come Saturday.

Labour has given this campaign everything - Clark

RADIO NEW ZEALAND:

On the final afternoon of campaigning Labour leader Helen Clark said her party had thrown everything at the election campaign, and the party can still win.

Miss Clark spent the final day of the campaign in Auckland, urging voters to return a Labour-led Government.

She said there was a tremendous feeling in the Labour heartland, and repeated her message that it was important to not to take a jump into the unknown on election day, but to "stick with strong proven leadership that works."

Helen Clark said many people do not make up their mind which way to vote until election day.

She said Labour will have thousands of people working around the country on Saturday to get voters to the polls.

Listen to Helen Clark speaking to reporters on eve of election

Support from voters, says Cullen

Labour's deputy leader Michael Cullen said if the party can get somewhere close to National he is very hopeful it can form the next Government.

Labour has trailed National by between 7.5 and 18 points in the last five opinion polls before Saturday's election.

Dr Cullen said Labour is getting very positive support out on the street, and the election will come down to whether the party can turn out the voters.

"Last election we were behind in every opinion poll that came out Thursday night, Friday morning. Everybody was working out what clothes they should wear for our funeral - we were the Government after the election."

Michael Cullen said the feedback Labour is getting is not the same as it was in 1990 when the fourth Labour Government lost the election.

Farmers may be heading closer to Labour

NEW ZEALAND HERALD: Farmers vote National, right?

Once upon a time, and the wind still blows in that direction, but word is that Labour has done pretty well and National shouldn't take a rural harvest for granted.

Meat & Wool New Zealand chairman Mike Petersen says National Party policies have historically been more attractive to the farming community.

"If you look at the maps from the last election then quite clearly the rural people did vote for National last time round," Petersen says. "But things like abolishing Fast Forward [fund] and abolishing the R&D tax credits don't help National's cause so they shouldn't take it for granted."

National says it will scrap Labour's $700 million Fast Forward Fund aimed at food and pastoral research and development, replacing it with an extra $70 million a year in research funding.

Meanwhile, Labour had looked after the sector pretty well and Progressive Party leader Jim Anderton has been an outstanding Agriculture Minister, Petersen says.

"But there are big clouds on the horizon," he adds. "This emissions trading scheme, I'm just hearing comments daily from farmers about the frustrations they're feeling with that."

Federated Farmers president Don Nicolson says under MMP farmers vote for a wide range of parties, though the dominant vote was historically National.

"But I know that it is not like it was, say, in my younger days where everyone in rural New Zealand probably seemed to vote for National, the blue way," Nicolson says.

Anderton is number three in the Cabinet and it has been a long time between drinks for that kind of recognition for agriculture, he says.

Pipfruit New Zealand chief executive Peter Beaven asked all the major parties several questions on subjects including the Recognised Seasonal Employer policy, Fast Forward fund, help for horticulture and the emissions trading scheme. At the time of writing Beaven was disappointed to have had a reply only from the Green Party.

"Can I assume from this that the political parties don't regard our industry as worthy of targeting?" he asks.

The pipfruit industry could not have too many complaints about life under Labour, he says, with deregulation, World Trade Organisation action against Australia and help on market access issues.

National's agriculture policy will press a lot of rural buttons: reform of the Resource Management Act; protection of property rights; and an emissions trading scheme that includes agriculture, but not one that compromises competitiveness.

Under Labour's emissions trading scheme the farm sector is included from 2013, albeit with a free allocation equivalent to 90 per cent of emissions in 2005, reducing to zero between 2018 and 2030.

Labour says the phase-out will be done only after a review and that farmers will not be penalised if the tools to reduce emissions from livestock do not exist.

So there is plenty for rural voters to consider: track record, tradition, policy and personality. Come election day, rural voters could well lean towards National - just don't take them for granted.

Polls wrong, ready for a comeback - Peters

RADIO NEW ZEALAND: New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says the public should be prepared for a shock when the election results come in on Saturday night.

Mr Peters spent his last day of campaigning in Rotorua, where his party's list MP Ron Mark is standing, and in Tauranga where Mr Peters has been fighting to regain the seat he lost in 2005 to National's Bob Clarkson.

None of the four polls released in the past 24 hours show New Zealand First crossing the 5% party vote threshold needed for it to return to Parliament without winning an electorate.

Speaking in Rotorua, Mr Peters said polls which showed his party was failing were wrong and commentators had been underhand and negative.

He said in 2002 the polls showed his party well under the 5% threshold, but the actual results gave him 13 MPs.

Still time to enrol

ONE NEWS: Nearly 95% of people eligible to vote in Saturday's general election are enrolled to do so.

But there are still around 160,000 people who haven't yet.

Murray Wicks, Manager of Electoral Enrolment says if enough of those people manage to get their applications in on Friday, then there could be a record number of people on this year's roll.

Wicks says a good democracy only works if everyone participates.

Anyone yet to enrol can do so at any New Zealand Post Shop, or by faxing a form to the Electoral Commission available on their website.

National ahead but behind Labour/Green bloc in latest poll

RADIO NEW ZEALAND: The last opinion poll to be released before the election puts the National Party ahead of Labour by 7.5 points.

Four other polls published on Thursday and Friday also put National in the lead, by a greater margin.

The Roy Morgan poll published on Friday evening put National at 42% support, down one point from the previous poll, and Labour up 2.5 points to 34.5% - giving National a 7.5% lead.

Support for the Greens was down 1.5 points to 10%.

New Zealand First was on 4.5%, ACT was on 4% support, the Maori Party recorded 2.5%, while United Future was on 1%.

Radio New Zealand's political editor says the Roy Morgan poll has the smallest gap between the two major parties of the five most recent surveys.

He says under that scenario National would have the best chance of forming a Government, but Labour could still do so if the Maori Party supported it.

The telephone poll carried out between 20 October and 2 November surveyed 1,038 voters and has a margin of error of 3.2%.

Green campaign ends with tribute to Rod Donald

3 NEWS: The Greens have wrapped up their campaign with a ceremony marking the third anniversary of the death of Rod Donald.

The former co-leader's partner and their daughters offered a few final words of support to the party faithful.

Three years ago the Christchurch Cathedral hosted thousands of people for Rod Donald's funeral.

Now it is the backdrop for a more humble crowd who gathered on the anniversary of his death to wrap up the Greens’ latest election campaign.

48-year-old Rod Donald died of a rare myocarditis, or heart damage, three years ago today.

In previous years his family have marked the day in private. This year his daughters were centre stage in their dad's place.

Holly, Emma and Zoe Donald say they know Rod would have wanted them to carry the Green banner at such an important time in the campaign.

Bill and Ben Party busy campaigning

3 NEWS: MMP has certainly given the minor parties a voice, but what about the really minor parties - such as the Bill and Ben Party?

The duo usually known as Pulp Sport have decided to leave their slightly deluded yet faithful late night sport show viewers behind for the moment to take their party mainstream.

The pair even have party political broadcasts.

"Primarily we've run on a no policies, no promises, no disappointments line," the pair say.

Bill and Ben have been campaigning for at least two days now and are often pleasantly surprised at the turnout.

Support is fanatical at the Pulp Sport stronghold - otherwise known as the TV3 reception area, although not every visitor has been pleased with their party slogan.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters is said to have been particularly unimpressed.

The final cost of their campaign could end up being huge due to fines, but initial costs have been around $1,000.

"We're hoping to get that back," they say. "If we get 0.5 percent of the vote we get that back. So come on New Zealand, we'll put it on a bar somewhere."

The pair say their move to politics is due to a lack of a career they have experience with television and say they have their sights set on Parliament TV as somewhere where they can stretch their legs.

Pre-election policy wrap

NATIONAL BUSINESS REVIEW: This package outlines in brief the law and order, health, tax, savings and superannuation, economic, welfare, education, Treaty of Waitangi, transport, climate change, environment, immigration and foreign, defence and trade policies of parties currently holding seats in Parliament.

Where policies are yet to be released, or are to be updated, this has been noted.

LAW AND ORDER

ACT: boost police numbers; impose life sentences after three serious crimes; abolish parole; allow private prisons; outsource "basic fraud/theft" cases to private security services; boost law and order spending by $1 billion for promises.

GREENS: Increase funding for restorative justice, Victim Support and victim counselling; automatically deduct reparations from offenders' pay; increase range of community sentences; increase inmate rehabilitation programmes; moratorium on new prisons.

LABOUR: Make gang membership an aggravating factor at sentencing; increase police ability to snoop on gangs; tougher proceeds of crime laws; consider complete ban on gang membership.

MAORI PARTY: More restorative justice programmes; more literacy and numeracy in prisons; better use of existing policing resources; less use of imprisonment.

NATIONAL: Full sentences for repeat serious offenders; DNA samples from all arrested for imprisonable offences; tighten bail laws; $50 levy on all offenders to go to victims; extend sentences for worst youth offenders and send less serious offenders to boot camps; force prisoners into work schemes; boost drug treatment in prisons.

NZ FIRST: Ban gang membership; increase police numbers; increase serious violent offender sentences; toughen parole; military-type training for youth offenders; DNA samples from everyone arrested; create paedophile register.

PROGRESSIVES: More early intervention programmes for young offenders; raise drinking age back to 20; support initiatives that will boost employment and keep people out of crime; increase early intervention programmes for troubled families.

UNITED FUTURE: deploy more police to crime hotspots; investigate separating traffic police; more funding for early intervention programmes; tougher parole for sexual and violent crimes; more drug treatment and literacy programmes in prisons.

HEALTH

ACT: Cut taxes so people can afford health insurance; $500 million one-off boost to elective surgery; find $250 million in savings to also be used to slash surgery waiting lists; use private hospitals more; reduce bureaucracy.

GREENS: Increase health prevention and promotion to 10 percent of total budget; free annual wellness check for all New Zealanders; increase nurse numbers; increase health professionals' pay; increase funding for electives; establish complementary health unit within ministry.

LABOUR: 100 extra medical training places by 2011; tougher rest-home audits; free annual health checks for high-needs intellectually disabled; continue prioritising the fight against cancer, obesity, alcohol and tobacco; streamline administration; introduce cheaper doctors visits as economy allows; continue to prioritise shorter waiting times for heart, cancer and orthopaedic patients.

MAORI PARTY: Ban tobacco. Free healthcare for under six and over 65-year-olds; free regular warrant of fitness health checks; more funding for health workforce training; look for administrative savings; more mobile dental buses for rural communities.

NATIONAL: More surgical theatres to boost elective operations; a 30 percent rebate on health insurance for seniors; no cuts to current budgeted health funding; continuation of universal cheaper doctors' visits and prescriptions; more operations and procedures to be done at community clinics; bonding and loan write-offs for doctors in hard-to-staff areas.

NZ FIRST: Increase public health spending to 10 percent of GDP; commission of inquiry into health system; review number of DHBs; extend free doctors visits to all primary-age children; increase funding for school dental service; increase elective surgery funding.

PROGRESSIVE: Restore comprehensive free health system; promote more funding for dental health care as a first priority; student loan write offs of 20 percent a year for three years for doctor graduates who work in public health system.

UNITED FUTURE: Free yearly "Warrant of Fitness" doctors' visit; use private sector to reduce surgical waiting times; national strategy for insulating all homes to at least 1977 standards; tax concessions for private health insurance; fund Plunketline.

TAX

ACT: Immediately abolish top tax rate of 39c in dollar; move over 10 years to tax rate of 15 percent over $20,000 and 12.5 percent below that, 15 percent business tax and 10 percent GST.

GREENS: Introduce $10,000 tax-free threshold; levy taxes on polluters; introduce capital gains tax on all investments except the family home.

LABOUR: Further personal tax cuts in April 2010 and April 2011, which when combined with October 1 cuts will deliver between $22 and $55 a week for workers earning between $20,000 and $80,000 a year. Keep 15c in the dollar research and development tax credits.

MAORI PARTY: Tax-free threshold up to $25,000 a year; 5 percent less tax for businesses earning less than $100,000; remove GST from food.

NATIONAL: independent earner rebate of $10 from April 2009, rising to $15 in 2010 for childless workers earning between $24,000 and $50,000. With independent earner rebate taxpayers earning between $24,000 and $50,000 would be $28.85 to $46.54 better off in three years, while those on those incomes who do not get the rebate would be between $13.07 and $46.54 better off.

NZ FIRST: Introduce $5200 tax-free threshold; raise personal tax thresholds over time; reduce GST to 10 percent over three years; drop tax rate on "new export" income to 20 percent; more research and development tax incentives.

PROGRESSIVE: Keep business research and development tax credits.

UNITED FUTURE: Income up to $12,000 taxed at 10 percent, income between $12,001 and $38,000 taxed at 20 percent and income above $38,000 taxed at 30 percent; push for income splitting for parents with dependent children; abolish gift duty; support research and development tax credits.

SAVINGS AND SUPERANNUATION

ACT: Axe KiwiSaver and phase out current government superannuation; introduce new government subsidised private savings scheme with higher taxes for those who do not join; use government super contributions to pay for any benefits in person or children's lives.

GREENS: Keep KiwiSaver and universal superannuation.

LABOUR: Keep KiwiSaver and universal superannuation at 66 percent of average wage.

MAORI PARTY: Keep KiwiSaver and universal superannuation.

NATIONAL: Reduce minimum employee KiwiSaver contribution from 4 percent to 2 percent and reduce employer contribution from 4 percent to 2 percent, cap government employee subsidy at 2 percent; keep universal superannuation at 66 percent of average wage.

NZ FIRST: Boost superannuation from 66 to 68 percent of net average wage; eventually individualise super accounts; support KiwiSaver; direct NZ Superannuation Fund to invest more in local infrastructure.

PROGRESSIVE: Support KiwiSaver and guarantee universal superannuation at current level of 66 percent of average wage.

UNITED FUTURE: Support KiwiSaver and seek to have more of its funds reinvested in New Zealand; increase superannuation by calculating it based on forecast of inflation rather than retrospectively.

ECONOMY

ACT: Peg government spending to inflation; sell state assets' reintroduce competition to ACC; scrap minimum wage and Employment Court and repeal Employment Relations Act (ERA), replacing them with common law; appoint regulatory reform minister to review all regulations.

GREENS: Raise minimum wage to $15-per-hour; improve protections for casual workers; give Reserve Bank more monetary policy tools; continue Buy Kiwi-made campaign and introduce country of origin labelling; restrict land sales to foreigners; introduce measures to limit house price inflation.

LABOUR: Support retail deposit guarantee, investigating wholesale guarantee; remove any obstacles preventing NZ Super Fund from investing more in New Zealand; bring forward infrastructure spending to boost economy if recession worsens; retain state assets; new minimum standards for redundancy; widen strike provisions; guaranteed adjustments to minimum wage to at least match the higher or inflation or average wage.

MAORI PARTY: Raise minimum wage to $15-per-hour; create Maori community development bank; simplify employment law and stop growth in red tape; develop index to measure social cultural and environmental costs of economic policies.

NATIONAL: Support retail and wholesale deposit guarantees; direct NZ Super Fund to lift its local investment from 23 percent to 40 percent; reform Resource Management Act; introduce competition to ACC; provide $3.7 billion six-year infrastructure boost including $1.5 billion fibre broadband plan; introduce 90-day probation period for new workers; allow employees to cash in fourth week of annual leave; allow non-union groups to collectively bargain.

NZ FIRST: Rewrite the Reserve Bank Act taking into account factors such as the exchange rate; boost trade support for exporters; conduct inquiry into compliance costs; encourage import substitution; support the Buy Kiwi-made campaign; increase ACC levies and payouts; no state asset sales.

PROGRESSIVE: Guarantee retention of Kiwibank; keep state assets; boost apprenticeships and worker protections; push for equal pay for women; push for shorter working week; further increases in minimum wage; support increased research and development.

UNITED FUTURE: Regular reviews of business regulations; review grievance procedures of ERA; introduce competition to ACC; refocus Ministry of Economic Development on supporting exporters; make tourism a strategic economic priority.

WELFARE

ACT: Axe unemployed and sickness benefits and replace with private insurance; end domestic purposes benefit for those under-18; 40-hour a week training or work for dole for all remaining beneficiaries including solo parents with children older than five.

GREENS: Raise benefit levels and fix them at a set percentage of the average wage; abolish benefit stand-down periods; introduce universal child benefit; build at least 3000 new state houses in each of the next three years.

LABOUR: Remove unemployment benefit means test for 13 weeks after a person loses job; lift benefit abatement threshold from $80 to $140 a week by 2012; introduce retraining allowance for long-term workers wanting to upskill through fulltime training; provide more work assistance training for those wishing to return to the workforce.

MAORI PARTY: Borrow to raise benefit and superannuation levels; extend Working for Families in-work payment to beneficiaries; investigate universal child benefit; cap state housing rents; subsidised government jobs for unemployed; devolve funding to Maori welfare groups.

NATIONAL: Boost accomodations supplement and allow Working for Families payments to continue for 16 weeks after being made redundant; tougher work requirements for domestic purpose beneficiaries; raise benefit abatement threshold; tougher assessments for sickness beneficiaries.

NZ FIRST: Reintroduce "community wage" work for the dole scheme; increased checks on sickness beneficiaries; legislate to require greater parental responsibility from beneficiaries; ease transition to work by reviewing abatement levels; increase funding to Women's Refuge.

PROGRESSIVE: Push for $200 winter power rebate for those on low incomes to be funded from state-owned power company profits.

UNITED FUTURE: Make sickness beneficiaries seek treatment; make long-term unemployed undertake training or subsidised work; run more training programmes for older New Zealanders; provide more support for businesses that hire migrants.

EDUCATION

ACT: Scrap Education Ministry and replace it with new Education Authority; allow state funding to public or private school of parents' choice; deregulate schools but require them to be licensed by education authority; move curriculum "back to basics".

GREENS: Commission of Inquiry into education system; increase schools operations grant by 10 percent; increase teacher-pupil ratios to 1:20; incorporate environmental education in schools; ensure schools have proper special needs funding; remove compulsory uniform rules.

LABOUR: Introduce "Schools Plus" under which all 16 and 17-year-olds must either be in school, training or work-based training; continue to reduce teacher-student ratios.

MAORI PARTY: Reduce teacher-pupil ratios; more funding for high-needs students; single national qualifications system; compulsory free ECE for four-year-olds and extend 20-hours-free to playcentre and Kohanga Reo.

NATIONAL: Overhaul NCEA; introduce national literacy and numeracy standards; extend 20-hours early childhood education subsidy to playcentres and kohanga reos; teach more trades in schools and set up five "trade academies"; ensure all 16- and 17-year-olds are in school, work or approved training courses.

NEW ZEALAND FIRST: increase schools operations grant; reformulate decile funding formula to give more to decile 3-10 schools, but reduce class sizes for lower decile schools; introduce "values" education; review NCEA; limit foreign fee-paying students.

PROGRESSIVE: More resources to low decile areas; more teachers; more support for special needs students; make more sporting activities available to school children; extend 20-hours free early childhood care to 25 hours.

UNITED FUTURE: Increase access to Reading Recovery programmes and reduce teacher-pupil ratios at primary level; support establishment of year seven-10 "middle schools"; streamline and promote better understanding of NCEA; Raise leaving age and offer more subjects such as trades.

TERTIARY EDUCATION

ACT: 2008 policy yet to be released.

GREENS: (2005) Phased write-off of student debt for each year a graduate works in New Zealand; universal student allowance; cap and progressively reduce student fees until study is free; ensure tertiary institutions are properly funded.

LABOUR: Universal student allowance; continued restrictions on fee growth; increase modern apprentices in training by 1000 a year; increase industry training so 10 percent of workforce is participating in some form of training by 2011.

MAORI PARTY: Lower fees; universal student allowance; higher student loan repayment threshold; more funding for industry training.

NATIONAL: Keep interest-free student loans and offer 10 percent early repayment bonus.

NZ FIRST: Phase in universal student allowance; increase funding for courses where there are shortages; voluntary-bonding to reduce fees for medical students; more scholarships to keep brightest students; incentives for graduates to move to regions with skill shortages.

PROGRESSIVE: Support universal student allowances; more phasing for student loan repayments; push for more apprenticeships and industry training courses.

UNITED FUTURE: Zero fees; universal student allowance; better teacher training and performance monitoring; Unemployed people under 25 must be engaged in training; raise student loan repayment threshold to $25,000.

TREATY OF WAITANGI

ACT: One law for all; Treaty claims to be settled quickly -- fair, full and final; abolish the Maori seats; repeal seabed and foreshore legislation.

GREENS: Acknowledge the Treaty as a constitutional document; more resources for claims process; entrenchment of the Maori seats; no historic claims deadline without Maori support; promote public awareness of Treaty.

LABOUR: 2020 target for settling claims; keep Maori seats and Maori electoral option; boost funding for Maori community housing and widen access to loans through Welcome Home Loan scheme; provide more apprenticeships for Maori; continue to fund Maori Television; promote Maori language.

MAORI PARTY: Entrench Maori seats; more resources for Treaty settlements; establish constitutional commission to draft arrangements giving effect to Treaty; establish parliamentary commissioner for the Treaty; push for separate representation at local government level and on state boards; automatically enroll Maori voters on Maori roll when they turn 18.

NATIONAL: Complete historical Treaty claims by 2014; provide more resources for the Waitangi Tribunal to speed process; scrap Maori seats after claims completed.

NZ FIRST: Replace Waitangi Tribunal with Waitangi Commission with greater ministerial oversight; five-year deadline to settle all historic claims; provide better funding for the claims process; promote Maori language, history and culture in schools.

PROGRESSIVE: Support Maori employment initiatives; redress imbalance in school achievement; promote Maori language; pursue social programmes that address Maori inequality in the areas of income, housing and health.

UNITED FUTURE: Settle all historic grievances by 2014; Work with Maori to phase out Maori seats by 2014; ensure tribes have good governance structures ahead of settlements.

TRANSPORT

ACT: Introduce road-user charges; reduce petrol taxes; encourage both new private roads and public-private partnerships; encourage competition on routes; limit people's rights to object to developments under RMA.

GREENS: Move majority of transport funding over five years to public transport, rail and coastal shipping; fund 100 percent of public transport projects; end tax exemption on diesel; develop fuel efficiency standards for all vehicles; make emissions testing part of Warrant of Fitness checks; develop nationwide network of cycleways.

LABOUR: Continue programme of roading funding; continue to boost funding for cycling networks and rail for passenger transport, freight and shipping.

MAORI PARTY: 2008 policy yet to be released.

NATIONAL: Increase borrowing to spend an extra $3.7 billion on infrastructure over the next six years; complete the Waikato expressway within a decade and Tauranga's central corridor within six years; encourage private-public partnerships and tolls on major new roads; cut resource consent red tape for major roads.

NZFIRST: Upgrade key highways; change RMA to speed up roading consents; fund new roads that fall outside current funding criteria through issue of infrastructure bonds; put in place cycling network in urban areas.

PROGRESSIVE: Support the continued development of both public transport and the roading network.

UNITED FUTURE: Support tolling and public-private partnerships for high-cost roads; extra taxes on gas-guzzling vehicles; complete Auckland and Wellington roading networks, including Transmission Gully; continue upgrading public transport.

CLIMATE CHANGE

ACT: Withdraw from Kyoto Protocol climate treaty; repeal emissions trading scheme (ETS); hold off policies that could damage the economy until they are adopted by major polluting countries.

GREENS: Make companies that import fossil fuels and agricultural sectors that exceed 1990 emissions buy and transfer carbon credits to government; use Kyoto forest credits to promote forestry; set compulsory levels of renewable energy for power retailers; more subsidies and regulation for energy efficiency; $1 billion 15-year home insulation scheme.

LABOUR: Phase in ETS; target of 90 percent renewable energy by 2025; boost funding for energy efficiency projects; support $1 billion 15-year home insulation scheme; invest in KiwiRail to reduce commercial transport emissions; increase research into sustainable technology.

MAORI PARTY: Develop more renewable energy; make major polluters pay for emissions, but minimise effects on households.

NATIONAL: Legislate a target of a 50 percent reduction in carbon emissions compared to 1990 levels by 2050; amend the Government's ETS within nine months of office; incentivise biofuel by exempting it from excise tax or road user charges; exempt electric cars from road user charges; $1000 grants for solar and heat pump water heating.

NZFIRST: Support ETS; advance work on additional regulations, research and technology to meet Kyoto obligations; promote energy efficiency; ensure wider public consultation on climate change policies.

PROGRESSIVE: Support phased ETS; support research into non-polluting technologies; support funding for more insulation for low-income homes; support vehicle efficiency labelling.

UNITED FUTURE: Modify ETS to reduce costs on householders; increase public home-insulation funding; give all homes for sale an energy efficiency rating; support environmentally sustainable biofuels; support renewable energy research; carbon credits to forest owners but they must also carry costs if they convert land.

ENVIRONMENT

ACT: Scale back RMA to areas not covered by common law and replace it in most cases with case-by-case regulations; refocus it on achieving a balance between benefits and costs.

GREENS: Develop strict national environmental standards to control pollution in lakes and rivers; maintain GE-free environment; increase funding for pest control; tighten biodiversity; make legal aid available for Environment Court cases; ensure better RMA enforcement by councils; create research fund for sustainable land management.

LABOUR: Develop national policy statement on water and continue initiatives to reduce agricultural water pollution; continue to fund clean-up of existing polluted waterways; continue to expand conservation estate; continue to support effective biosecurity.

MAORI PARTY: Keep NZ GE-free.

NATIONAL: Expand the Environmental Risk Management Authority into an environmental protection agency with regulatory functions under the Resource Management Act; create a new national park in Northland's Waipoua forest; encourage the Conservation Department to work better with rural communities.

NZFIRST: More funding for pest control; use community wage scheme for conservation work; support consultative debate on mining on conservation land; develop national policies on water and air quality.

PROGRESSIVE: Review RMA to see if it can be improved; push for international ban on all whaling; reduce allowable fishing bycatches of endangered sea life; push for increased funding for the Department of Conservation; continue initiatives to minimise water pollution from farming.

UNITED FUTURE: Remove environment minister's power to block developments that have already been through Environment Court; allow court to retain expert consultants to reduce costs for groups taking cases; promote planting along all waterways; encourage forestation of non-viable farming land.

IMMIGRATION

ACT: Increase flow of skilled migrants; make it easier for migrants to transfer qualifications; five-year probation period in which immigrants can be deported for imprisonable offence.

LABOUR: Continue to support skilled immigration, but assess that against unemployment rate and reduce number of work permits issued if there is evidence jobless New Zealanders are taking up jobs in areas of labour shortage.

MAORI PARTY: 2008 policy not yet released.

NATIONAL: initiate a one-stop-shop approach to servicing the needs of returning New Zealanders; Streamline employer accreditation policies to recruit overseas; cut red tape around hiring seasonal workers; make it easier for people with tertiary qualifications to seek work.

GREENS: Increase refugee quota from 750 to 1000 by 2010; increase resources for resettlement programmes, including English language and job assistance; review migrant numbers regularly taking into account social and environmental factors; keep population below 5.7 million.

NZ FIRST: "Drastically reduce" inflow of migrants; ensure potential migrants speak English, are in good health and have a job; limit refugee family reunification category to spouses and include them in annual 750 quota; implement better settlement programmes; reject refugees with serious criminal convictions.

PROGRESSIVE: Prioritise skilled immigrants that meet New Zealand's economic needs; boost resettlement and English language programmes for migrants.

UNITED FUTURE: Maintain or increase skilled immigration; provide better support and settlement programmes; develop 10-year population strategy; create incentives to promote migration to the regions; more funding for immigration service.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS, DEFENCE AND TRADE

ACT: Repeal nuclear ban; lease additional frigate merge Defence Ministry and Defence Force; incentives to boost number of reserves and rebuild Defence Force to 30,000 personnel; support welfare for veterans; cut remaining tariffs and push for trade deal with United States.

GREENS: ensure trade deals uphold human rights, labour principles and the Kyoto climate treaty; boost aid to 7 percent of Gross National Income; support cancellation of foreign debt; support peacekeeping work, but only with UN mandate; close Waihopai spy base; restrict range of SIS investigations to espionage, sabotage and terrorism.

LABOUR: Expand NZ's role in international conflict resolution; work with other countries to co-ordinate financial regulation; continue to upgrade defence equipment; boost military staff numbers by 12 percent between 2005 and 2015; continue to seek high quality free trade deals.

MAORI PARTY: 2008 policy not released yet.

NATIONAL: Review NZ's oversees posts to ensure focus is on key markets; maintain aid spending; hold an extensive review into Defence Force capability and then decide future spending; no change to nuclear-free policy.

NZ FIRST: Keep anti-nuclear policy; ensure Security Intelligence Service is subject to greater parliamentary control; work towards increasing Defence Force funding to 2 percent of GDP; boost pay to retain staff; expand SAS; pursue increased trade but only cut tariffs at rate of competitors.

PROGRESSIVE: Keep NZ nuclear free; boost aid to 0.7 percent of GNP; focus Defence Force on peacekeeping; boost maritime surveillance; boost international disaster response capacity.

UNITED FUTURE: Keep NZ nuclear free; lift foreign aid to 0.7 percent of gross national income; establish Peace Corps for overseas volunteer work; multi-party accord on defence force funding; focus defence force on peacekeeping; pursue trade agreements.