Chris Hipkins: Labour Leader on polling, NZ First, coalitions, and immigration

Labour Leader Chris Hipkins told Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking that polls are polls, and they need to spend the next few weeks getting their poll numbers up.  “Every day in an election campaign matters, and we intend to fight until the last day.”  When questioned on why election odds for Labour, Greens, and  Te Pati Maori sit at 0.2% if the election was held today according to a Herald poll, Hipkins said National and ACT’s numbers are coming down.  “Luxon should have done what Key did and ruled Winston Peters out.”  Hipkins said he will absolutely not work with Winston Peters.  “We worked with him in the first three years, and it was very challenging, and he is not an easy person to work with.”  “I don’t think National, NZ First, and ACT would agree on much, and it would be bad news for a country as a whole.”   “I will not, as Prime Minister, have Winston Peters in any government I am part of.”  When questioned on falling behind Luxon in the preferred Prime Minister numbers, Hipkins said he is who is and people will make their own judgements.  Hipkins said the party’s new immigration plans for overstayers amnesty affects those still living in New Zealand from the 1960s and 70s.  “Their children who were born in New Zealand can’t access things like tertiary education because their parents were never regular in the first place, and I think that needs to change.”  “This would be the last of the amnesties and that’s why we have set the barrier at 10 years.”  When questioned why amnesty should be given to those who have deliberately overstayed, he said people fall irregular in their immigration status for multiple reasons.  “People who are here contribute to New Zealand, their kids are here should be able to stay.”  Hipkins said the “Minister for Just Transitions” would help New Zealanders with the problems climate change will pose.  “We’re going to have a lot of jobs that will become redundant from climate change and therefore we have to transition them to new jobs, we are going to have people who will have to relocate, so we will have to help them relocate.”  “The money will come from the green investment fund.”  “We believe we will have the money to fund it through the fund.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.