Virus outbreak in Auckland sees New Zealand delay election
WELLINGTON, New Zealand —
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has delayed New Zealand’s elections by four weeks due to the coronavirus outbreak in Auckland.
The election had been scheduled for Sept. 19, but will now be held on Oct. 17. Opposition parties had sought a delay after the virus outbreak prompted the government last week to put Auckland under a two-week lockdown and halted election campaigning.
Before the latest outbreak, New Zealand had gone 102 days without any known community transmission of the virus, and life had returned to normal for most people.
Officials believe the virus was reintroduced to New Zealand from abroad, but haven’t yet determined how. The outbreak in the nation’s largest city has grown to 58 infections, all thought to be connected.
Ardern had the option of delaying the election for up to about two months. She said she had called the leaders of all the political parties represented in parliament to get their views before making her decision Monday.
“Ultimately, I want to ensure we have a well-run election that gives all voters the best chance to receive all the information they need about parties and candidates,” Ardern said.
She said she wouldn’t consider delaying the election again — no matter what was happening with any virus outbreaks.
Other nations including South Korea and Singapore had managed to hold elections during the pandemic, she added.
Ardern also announced that lawmakers would be called back to parliament, which had finished sitting ahead of the election. The parliament will now continue operating through early September.
Conservative opposition leader Judith Collins said only that her National Party “acknowledge the new date.”
Opinion polling indicates Adern’s liberal Labour Party is favoured to win a second term.