Former prime minister and Labour leader Dame Jacinda Ardern has taken to social media to urge voters to give Labour their vote.
In a video posted to Instagram, Ardern said she had just spoken with friends in New Zealand, who told her the election was neck and neck.
“I just got off the phone to friends back home who were telling me just how close this election is turning out to be, which means your vote could be a deciding vote,” Ardern said.
“So if you believe in reducing child poverty not increasing it; if you believe in acting on climate change, not ignoring it; if you believe in strong health and education services then vote for Labour.
“Make sure you go out and use your voice this weekend, it could make all the difference.”
Social media users were quick to point out the suspiciously placed dinosaur lamp in the background, after a rumour started that National leader Christopher Luxon doesn’t believe in dinosaurs - a rumour Luxon has denied.
“That lamp has to be an intentional placement, surely,” one person wrote.
“Ha ha, love the dinosaur lamp,” posted another.
Luxon, when talking about getting his party message out to voters, told Newstalk ZB’s Kerre Woodham today: “... when you’re talking dinosaurs for two days, whether I believe in them or not, which I do for the record. But a random question, I don’t know why I get asked that.”
Kiwi comedian Guy Williams had asked Luxon the question earlier this week.
There is a 99.8 percent chance of National, Act, and NZ First being able to form a government after the election. Take NZ First away and National and Act have just a 28.5 percent chance of getting over the line.
The Poll of Polls still predicts there is a 0 percent chance of Labour, the Greens, and Te Pāti Māori getting over the line, with the slight surge in the left bloc’s support failing to register.
In a Facebook live video on Wednesday morning, Ardern made yet another plea to voters, hoping to allay any suspicions that she was apolitical. She explained that she purposefully chose to remain absent so that Chris Hipkins, her successor, could assume leadership.
“I haven’t been very present this election,” Ardern said.
“Part of that decision really needed to be to hand over the political mantle to others and to the wonderful team I had the privilege to work alongside the Labour team.
“Having said that, I would hate for anyone to think that simply because I have removed myself from political debate I no longer have an opinion.
“Every voter or at least the vast majority of voters have opinions, and I too am a voter.”
Ardern stated which of her own values informed her vote before urging people to cast their ballots in support of their beliefs for both New Zealand’s present and future. These included children’s well-being, environmental concerns and climate change, as well as health and education.
“If you voted for me in 2017, then thank you for that, but it probably means you were also voting for issues of child poverty and climate change,” Ardern said.
“The Labour party has had two terms in office, long enough to make progress, but not long enough to finish the job.
“Our country needs them to finish the job.”
At the end of last month, Ardern didn’t let flash flooding in New York City stop her from getting her vote in for the New Zealand election.
In a post to Instagram this morning, Ardern said it’s the first time since she started voting that she hasn’t been involved in the campaign.
“Popping a ballot in the box felt just as important,” she said.
Ardern left little to the imagination on where her votes went, confirming she had given “two ticks for Chippy and the Labour team”.
