So why does it still have a chance of re-election?
After a succession of ministerial stumbles, some of them fatal for the respective political careers of the stumblers, the Labour government is still buoyed by its own polling. And even independent commentators think the parties of the left are level-pegging with those on the right.
How could this be? There is little argument NZ has been hit by a cost-of-living crisis, families are going hungry, hospital emergency departments are overflowing. Others cite ministerial fumbling for the failure to deliver on policy announcements. Economists point to the deficits in the public accounts getting worse and net debt climbing.
Wherever voters look, the Labour government has a dismal story to present.
So why aren’t Opposition parties racing ahead?
