The Election 2023 campaign is heating up - and the New Zealand Herald is here to keep you in the know through the election campaign.

Every weekday, listen to On The Campaign, a new daily podcast wrapping the biggest stories from the campaign trail each day, covering the major policy announcements, the back and forth between the parties, and get analysis from the Herald’s news team.

On today’s first episode, host Georgina Campbell catches up with Herald political editor Claire Trevett on the state of the campaign so far after the launches over the weekend and the debate over ‘nasty’ political ad attacks.

Plus, catch up with the policy announcements today from Labour, National and Act.

From our political reporter Thomas Coughlan: 

Labour leader Chris Hipkins has acknowledged that times are tough but said he was “confident there are better days ahead”.

Speaking to a business audience for his Bloomberg address, he also doubled-down on claims he was a “fiscal conservative”, aiming to paint the National Party’s tax policy as profligate - despite National’s claim that it would be fully-funded by tax cuts and spending increases.

“In a somewhat unusual reversal of positions, it’s actually the Labour Party promising to be the more fiscally prudent this election,” Hipkins said - a claim that will be news to his predecessor Jacinda Ardern.

“I don’t see now as the time for big and unaffordable tax cuts, which will add to inflation. It’s also not right to be selling more than $5 billion of Kiwi assets off every year to do this,” Hipkins said.

He said the Government had “shaved back” spending and that it intended to return to surplus, although he did not say when.

Chris Hipkins earlier unveiled Labour's plan to invest $100 million in developments in the agri-tech sector.

National is promising to build 10,000 EV chargers - 10 times more than currently exist.

Leader Christopher Luxon made the promise in Christchurch this morning.

He said National would invest $257m over four years to build the chargers, and revive the "highly successful" Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) funding model, which blended public and private sector investment.

Luxon also reiterated National's promise to axe Labour's "ute tax", the clean car discount which subsidises EV purchases by taxing polluting cars. 

The policy has been successful at driving uptake of EVs, but the tax component of it has been unpopular.

“Supercharging EV Infrastructure is part of National’s plan to rebuild the economy. After six years of Labour’s economic mismanagement, the economy is in recession, wages haven’t been keeping up with inflation and mortgage rates are hitting Kiwis in the back pocket,”  Luxon said.

“National will get our economy back on track by delivering the infrastructure New Zealand needs for the future.“

Around 20 per cent of New Zealand’s total emissions come from transport, so embracing EVs is crucial to delivering our climate change commitments he said.

"Kiwis won’t switch to an EV if they are anxious about whether they will be able to recharge it when and where they need to. Under the Labour Government, investment in public EV infrastructure has not kept pace with the rising number of EVs and New Zealand now has the fewest public chargers per electric vehicle in the OECD."

Earlier this year the Government said that the Clean Car Discount had been so successful it would drive 50 per cent greater emissions reductions than forecast.

Luxon said Kiwis have "range anxiety",

He explained this as worrying about whether their EVs will go far enough, and if there are enough chargers for their needs.

"You look at the ratio of cars to charging units and its a major problem."

"We are blessed in this country with sustainable renewable energy," Luxon said.

Alongside the promise of new chargers, Luxon wants to double the amount of renewable electricity.

"We are going to meet our commitments and obligations," Luxon said on being questioned about why he is committed to the Net Zero 2050 over the 2030 targets.

"Climate change is a very important portfolio.... and it's going to become an increasingly economic portfolio."

Luxon would not comment on whether his wife got the clean car discount for her EV,and said the current clean car discount benefited people who can already afford EV.

National Party transport spokesperson Simeon Brown said there needed to be more competition for petrol prices to be reduced.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins has promised to lead a prime ministerial trade delegation to India within the first 100 days of taking office if Labour wins the upcoming election.

  National Leader Christopher Luxon has arrived at Rollickin Gelato in central Christchurch.

He was challenged by staff to scoop as many ice creams as he could in one minute.

Luxon finished on 8 scoops, while staff member Anthony scooped up 11.

He also helped out by operating the ice cream machine while dressed in an apron and hairnet.

The new gelato flavour is called 'Blueberry Lux'

The Act party says early childhood education, health workforce, primary industries and financial services would be the first four sectors to get a "red tape review" if the Act party is elected and a new Ministry of Regulation is established

“New Zealand is plagued by red tape and regulations introduced by various Governments who have passed laws to scratch political itches or to respond to negative headlines. ACT will ensure the next Government cuts through the jungle of regulations New Zealanders have to comply with,”  Act Leader David Seymour said.

“Most of New Zealand's problems can be traced to poor productivity and poor productivity can be traced to poor regulation. In nearly every sector, we hear complaints that red tape increases compliance costs and creates missed opportunities by stopping productive activity. Our No. 8 wire culture is gradually eroding as people find it more attractive to do less," Seymour said in a statement.

Talking to Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald, National Party leader Christopher Luxon said he's tired of the Labour party's "kumbaya and mush" and demanded immediate change to the country's health systems.

He called the suggestion of his party's previous governing being responsible for the system's failings as "a bit rich".

"This Government has had six years to sort it, at some point you've got to be held accountable," he said.

"If I was in a job and spent six years blaming the previous CEO, that's not right. [The Labour Party] can't name one thing that's improved."

Luxon said the result of $12 billion spent by the Government on healthcare was every health outcome going backwards, including child immunisation rates, the access time to nurses and doctors and first surgery appointments.

"We're not in a time to do more kumbaya and mush, we are in a turnaround job."

When asked what he meant by the term "kumbaya and mush", he said he was referring to the notion there was lots of talking and not enough action.

"At the moment in New Zealand we're talking an awful lot."

- Written by Nathan Morton

Labour leader Chris Hipkins has promised to lead a prime ministerial trade delegation to India within the first 100 days of taking office.  

Laying out his party’s economic strategy today, Hipkins said India would be a priority next term. 

“After securing trade deals with the UK and EU this year, my next priority will be to lead a Prime Ministerial delegation to India within the first 100 days of a new Government,” he said.  

Hipkins said the trade agreement will require a "two-way" relationship between both countries.

Hipkins met Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi in Papua New Guinea earlier this year, where Modi invited Hipkins to visit India. The announcement came alongside a five-point economic growth fund and a pledge for $100m of public money to be given to the Government’s Venture Capital Fund to invest in agritech. 

Labour has faced allegations it was ignoring India, now the world’s most populous country, since before the Covid-19 pandemic. 

 Former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern never visited the country.  

The last prime ministerial visit was John Key in 2016. Trade Minister Damien O’Connor has just returned from a large trade mission to the country. 

In 2019, former National leader Simon Bridges visited India and beat the drum for advancing trade talks and direct flights with  India. 

At Deloitte and Chapman Tripp’s BusinessNZ election conference on Tuesday, Luxon repeated that plea. 

“I’m expecting my trade minister and foreign minister to be on planes to do business. 

“I know I keep saying it, but India is a priority for us. I know it will be hard but trade with India two-way has gone backwards for us over the last six years,” Luxon said. 

Hipkins said National previously promised a trade agreement with India and they failed to do so.

"The thing that has kinda slowed the process is the lack of willingness on the India side," Hipkins said.

National Party leader Christopher Luxon is in Christchurch today as the campaign trails starts to heat up. 

Christchurch-born Luxon spoke in studio withCanterbury Mornings with John MacDonald on Newstalk ZB before he heads to other engagements across the Garden City.