This week on the Raw Politics podcast: We ask why Labour leader Chris Hipkins has failed to fire, as his party would have hoped, in this campaign so far. Plus: this week's debate, the latest polls and how relatively good economic news changes things in the run-up to election day.
Three weeks into the official six-week campaign period and Prime Minister and Labour's hope Chris Hipkins still seems to be playing within himself, holding back and not taking the fight to the centre-right as many of his party's supporters must have hoped.
The Raw Politics panel debates why he has not managed to get on top, or even on even stevens with National's rookie Christopher Luxon, and how frustrating it must be for Labour that with just over a week to go until advance voting, the polls have the party still languishing on 27 percent support.
Our reader question is whether the economic news - on the latest 12-month GDP figures and revisions showing NZ was not in recession after all - could help the incumbents.
This week's recommendations include a portrait of a key Māori electorate, a sketch in search of charisma from the first major leaders' debate and a US story on pressure on a teacher.
Every week, Newsroom editors and political journalists talk through the big issues and scrutinise politicians’ performances in a lively 25-minute show aiming to take viewers and listeners inside the actions and motivations of our elected leaders.
Watch Raw Politics on YouTube, or download or listen to it as a podcast on Spotify, or via Apple Podcasts.
And send your burning political questions to jo.moir@newsroom.co.nz and we’ll endeavour to find the answer and explain the issues.
Recommendations:
Marc: A Washington Post story about a teacher in South Carolina who was reprimanded for assigning Between the World and Me:
Tim: Newsroom's Aaron Smale on one of the electorate fights with much riding on it for possible centre-left government negotiaitons
Jo: Steve Braunias in the Herald searches in vain for charisma at the 1 News leaders debate
