The Latest Breaking News from Christopher Luxon

Over back-to-back days in Auckland with the two Chrises, political editor Jo Moir observed increased security and vetting, and safe party-faithful crowds.

Halfway through the campaign period and with Labour still falling in the polls, Chris Hipkins has debuted a new and more aggressive approach at a rally in Wellington.

Crime has been one of the dominant themes of this election campaign and it proved to be the hot button in the second televised debate this week. As Mark Jennings writes, the leaders of the minor parties were taking no prisoners in their battle for crucial votes.

Many are feeling the sooner the election is over, the better. The polite and courteous reaction from voters on the doorstop parallels what happened in the 1990 election with Labour's record landslide loss to National – voters had long since made up their minds to change the government, argues Peter Dunne