It is looking likely to be a really, really tight campaign. Labour has been gaining ground since Jacinda Ardern’s resignation and is neck and neck with the National Party in polling averages. The feeling at that time was that the National Party only had to look competent and non-controversial, and anti-Labour sentiment would hand them the election. But then Ardern resigned, and suddenly there was a new ‘not-Jacinda’ candidate to contend with: Chris Hipkins. Budget 2023 has been pitched as the No Frills Budget and Hipkins as the No Frills Prime Minister.

Source: Stuff April 30, 2023 13:31 UTC