Expect Helen Clark and Jenny Shipley to concentrate on the country's deepest well of voters - Auckland. Despite a commanding lead nationally in the Herald-DigiPoll, Labour is behind in Auckland, where National detects more undecideds than elsewhere. National will be hammering its economic record and its achievement managinga difficult minority Government. Labour will talk up its chances by outlining what it will do in its first 100 days and stress that only it can deliver a clearcut, Winston-free Government.
Stir Fry
National campaign heavies including Murray McCully and Jeff Grant retired to a Wellington eatery to digest three disastrous polls. One diner noted that any thought of slitting their wrists was hampered by the fact it was a Chinese restaurant and there were only chopsticks on the table.
WHAT THEY SAID
*"People are fleeing the party like fleas leaving a dog." - John Banks takes a swipe at NZ First and their voters at the same time.
*"Support for the centre-left is a mile wide but an inch deep. It is soft." - Banks refuses to give up on National despite the polls.
*"You would have to be blind, deaf and dumb not to have seen the Asian crisis coming."- Helen Clark rubbishes Jenny Shipley's TV ad admitting that missing the Asian meltdown was a mistake.
WHERE THEY'LL BE
SATURDAY: Winston Peters spends the day in Tauranga; Richard Prebble campaigns in Wellington; Jenny Shipley attends the Pavarotti Concert; Helen Clark is at the Avondale Parade and Fun Day; Jim Anderton visits the Nelson A&P show.
SUNDAY: Winston Peters is on the East Coast; Richard Prebble flies to Great Barrier Island; Jenny Shipley has a post-CHOGM briefing; Helen Clark addresses a Wellington rally; Jim Anderton has a public meeting in Christchurch. - compiled by political staff
