Francesca Rudkin: I'm over this election campaign

As you will know by now, I love a general election; but there was a moment this week when I realized I was done.

Over it.

Counting the days until it was done and dusted.

The moment was when I saw a tweet from the current Minister of Health, which had Christopher Luxon dressed up as a chicken and a comment he should turn up to the Press’s leaders debate.

The last time I heard a person accuse someone else of being a chicken was also a heated dispute – among eight year olds. Maybe the tweet was supposed to be humorous - but there was no wit. It felt like what it was, a tired attempt to put pressure on a party with momentum by a party which is struggling.

It’s not like we’re lacking health related issues for the Minister to address.

The calls for Luxon to turn up to a debate his debating partner, a Covid isolating Chris Hipkins, couldn't attend was a waste of a couple of precious electioneering days. It's not like they were never going to meet again - we have the pleasure of another TVNZ Leaders debate this Thursday.

This nonsense summed up a campaign season filled with aggro, a touch of violence, distractions, dirt throwing, lies, misinformation, a lack of clarity around fiscal and tax policies, and vagueness around coalition possibilities.

And I’m done.

It’s not like the media, moderators and public haven’t tried to get straight answers out of politicians, but still some policy details remain elusive.

Possibly it’s because, as economists will tell you, no one knows what the next three years will throw at us so what we’re being promised is largely hypothetical. It’s frustrating for many who want change but remain unsure how it’s going to be achieved.

As we count down the final days of this campaign, Hipkins is fighting for his life and looks to finally be rallying the party faithful. Luxon has run a steady, conservative race that looks mostly like an attempt not to lose. The minor parties continue to pick up voters who don’t like what’s on offer from the main two parties, with Winston Peters looking likely to make the final call. All that craziness - and this is where we end up.

Everyone knows never to rule out Winston Peters. So did National get its coalition strategy right?

Thankfully we only have one more week to go before we find out. Maybe.

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