Ardern pops into rehearsal

AUCKLAND: Ahead of last night’s leaders’ debate, Labour leader Jacinda Ardern attended a Mary Poppins musical rehearsal.

Ms Ardern was welcomed to The Civic Theatre in Auckland to meet the cast and crew of Mary Poppins, the Broadway Musical and was compared to the titular character, although perhaps a ‘‘socialist, nanny state’’ version.

‘‘I think it was all intended as good sport and as far as characters go I can think of many worse to be compared to,’’ she said.

She admitted she had performed in musical theatre in high school, but said she would not be breaking into song in last night’s debate.

‘‘But look, this show and the fact that it will be happening over the next few nights is indicative I think of the plan that we’ve had, and the fact that it has delivered the ability to have a performance here when many other countries are just not even close to that.’’

While Labour’s policy plan — released in full as complete manifesto package on Tuesday — does not contain many new policies with strict targets, Ms Ardern rejected the suggestion this was a deliberate strategy after failing to reach targets in Labour’s first term.

‘‘Not at all. In fact, those targets still remain.

‘‘The child poverty targets have not changed; in fact they’re legislated.

‘‘Our goals around building state houses have not changed. In fact, we’ve extended them with an additional 8000 public houses that we intend to build as part of our Covid recovery.

‘‘We’ve legislated our climate targets and have set up a commission to assist with carbon budgets.’’

She said she was not nervous about National Party leader Judith Collins’ attacks, dismissing them again as desperate, and misinformation.

‘‘New Zealanders deserved an election campaign that was fought on the facts, that was free of misinformation and there have been — particularly in the latter part of the election — points where that is not what the opposition has done.’’ — RNZ