National has launched a campaign ad which its opponents say wrongly suggests it can govern alone.
The ad shows a fit team of runners in blue sprinting nimbly ahead while others, in red, green and black running gear, are tangled up and fall over.
It's a change from its last ad, which featured rowing boats and some controversial music, but the message is the same - and the warning is clear.
"National will deliver a better future for all New Zealander," National leader Bill English says in the ad.
"The choice is simple: keep New Zealand moving forward, or risk it all on who knows what."
According to the recruiting notes Newshub obtained, those in red, black and green represent two Labour leaders, two Green leaders (whoops) and New Zealand First leader Winston Peters. They didn't need to be fit.
The shoot was scheduled for the beginning of last month, when National dreamed of governing alone.
"It's classic fraud, deceit, misleading people, like you know they're desperate," Mr Peters told Newshub.
But Mr English doesn't appear to have any regrets.
"People talked last election about Mr Peters being the kingmaker and I think they could see then those parties couldn't work together, so this time, the choice is clear," he told Newshub.
However Newshub's current polling shows National needs Mr Peters to get over the line.
Labour leader Jacinda Ardern says she hasn't seen the ad, but she's running her own race.
"I'm not laying into anyone. I'm focused on our campaign and it's a positive one," she told Newshub.
Greens leader James Shaw thinks it's National that's stumbled.
"I think it treats voters like they're idiots, I think it's beneath them," he said.
"They didn't put a New Zealand First runner in their own team I notice."
Newshub.
