Every Monday until the election The Front Bench will take on the biggest talking points of the election campaign. Heather du Plessis-Allan, Newstalk ZB Senior Political Correspondent Barry Soper, former Business NZ CEO Phil O’Reilly and Auckland Councillor Richard Hills have the insight word and analysis. 

The attack ads are already being published, with the CTU going after Chris Luxon on the front page of the Herald and on billboards across the country. Could this be the most negative campaign in recent memory? Is going negative an effective strategy?

All eyes this weekend were on Labour and National’s campaign launches – who had the better launch? And was it better for Chris Luxon to use his family, or for Chris Hipkins to involve former Prime Minister Helen Clark?

Labour has pledged to extend free dental care to those 29 and under by 2026. Is that good policy? Is it better than the pledge to slash GST off fruit and veg?

The campaign is already getting distracted by protests – should we get used to this over the coming weeks?

And the panel discuss what they think the main themes for Election 2023 will be.

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