Election 2008

Both the Labour and National Dunedin South candidates were attacked about their policies on benefits and apprenticeships by an irate woman at a forum in Dunedin yesterday.

Voters living overseas may decide the results of this year's general election.

Much has been written about the need for New Zealand First leader Winston Peters to win Tauranga to ensure the return to Parliament of the party. However, Political Editor Dene Mackenzie finds that NZ First MP Ron Mark could be the "sleeper" for the party as he contests Rimutaka.

Would voters rather see John Key, Helen Clark or neither of the two major party leaders in the hot seat as prime minister? Is the economic crisis taking over the election campaign? Sarah Harvey speaks to our focus group about the issues with nine days to go until election day.

At times it was difficult to tell whether last night's Queenstown Chamber of Commerce-sponsored Great Debate was a debate between representatives of six major New Zealand political parties and the 400-strong audience, a mud-slinging match or a comedy show.

Tourism industry leaders welcomed National Party leader and aspiring prime minister John Key's announcement in Queenstown yesterday that he would take on the tourism portfolio if elected, but called for more money to market their industry.

National Party leader John Key says he was never involved in the white collar scam known as the H-Fee transactions and Labour's attempt to link him to it is a desperate election tactic.