No Nats but Labour campaign busy
Labour MP Jacinda Ardern’s last day of campaigning in the Mt Albert by-election in Auckland started in a sandpit.
Ardern was joined by Labour leader Andrew Little at Little Pearls Educare Centre in Mt Albert where they chatted to parents and young children.
Little and Ardern were greeted by friendly faces with 4-year-old Safiyye Basar fast befriending Ardern.
Ardern spent time playing in the sandpit with a few of the girls while Little managed to get a few chuckles.
‘‘People are jokes,’’ he said.
Ardern and Little then took to walking Sandringham Rd, talking to businesses, residents and passers-by. laughing at my
They were joined by Mt Roskill MP Michael Wood, elected in a byelection in December. The boundary of Sandringham Rd is split between the Mt Roskill and Mt Albert electorates.
Ardern said there had been a different dynamic during the campaign but she had not taken anything for granted.
‘‘The absence of the Government putting forward a candidate did change things for voters but that’s not changed the way we’ve campaigned,’’ she said.
‘‘We’ve run a campaign in this election like any other, knocked on thousands of doors, made thousands of calls and wrapped up 55 street corner meetings last night.’’
Constituents had raised affordable housing and transport infrastructure as well as a number of local issues with Ardern, such as the regeneration of the Mt Albert shops and council issues with a number of parks.
‘‘Public transport is an issue, but to a degree. We do have a view that central government should be much more involved in public transport planning alongside local government.’’
Green Party candidate Julie Anne Genter said affordable housing and transport was what she was hearing most about.
‘‘I have yet to meet someone that doesn’t think Auckland needs better quality design in public transport and more affordable housing.’’
Candidate for The Opportunities Party Geoff Simmons said he was in the race to ‘‘offer choice’’.
He was targeting would-be National voters but they were ‘‘the big unknown’’. The biggest issue ‘‘far and away’’ was housing affordability he said.
‘‘Transport and infrastructure comes second, but I’ve got to say it’s a pretty distant second in people’s minds. And we are the only party that has a plan to restore housing affordability,’’ Simmons said.
Nearly 3500 people have voted so far in the by-election ahead of the final day of voting today.
The first results are expected to be announced about 7.30pm on Saturday night.