Two Chris's, One Cost-Of-Living Crisis

Commentator Tash McGill joins Andrew Urquhart to unpack post-debate reaction to Christopher Luxon and Chris Hipkins on cost of living, after pundits judged Hipkins the stronger performer on the issue. McGill is sceptical of using "relatability" anecdotes, like supermarket visits or poll references, as a real measure of either leader's grasp of struggling households, arguing voters should instead judge parties on policy substance rather than personal likeability.

Turning to the polls, McGill highlights a shift back towards major parties as cost-of-living anxiety pushes voters toward "the devil you know," with The Opportunity Party sliding toward the five percent threshold and National nudging up slightly, both within margin of error. She also notes the Green Party's poll numbers holding steady despite backlash over gang-related photos, suggesting the controversy reinforced rather than damaged support among its base, and frames the election's final weeks as a retreat into entrenched party lines driven almost entirely by economic pressure.

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