Labour campaign manager Megan Woods says the party is going to release some new policies soon, but refused to even hint at what they might be during an interview on Newshub Nation on Saturday.
Numerous commentators have predicted Labour, sitting pretty in the polls, might run a largely policy-free campaign for re-election this September. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern herself this week said not to expect a "large-scale range of policies" from the party, saying their focus was on the COVID-19 response.
Many of Labour's big promises ahead of 2017 - KiwiBuild, tax reform and fixing child poverty for example - have either been scrapped or had little progress made.
Woods told Newshub Nation on Saturday Labour would be announcing some new policies soon, but it wouldn't be "the huge number of policies that might be put out there traditionally in an election campaign".
"When you look at the changes over the last three years... what we can see are some very long-term changes that we're putting in place. We're asking for the permission of voters to keep doing that, to keep that momentum going and not put the brakes on that," she told host Simon Shepherd.
"I think people need to look back and see just how much has been done over the last few months."
Labour launches its campaign on Saturday afternoon, where Ardern is expected to make some policy announcements. Woods wouldn't reveal what they might be.
"Of course there will be policies. I'm not going to spruike my leader's speech by announcing any on here."
Asked if it could be related to jobs, with unemployment set to spike as the wage subsidy scheme draws to a close, Woods said: "I'm not going to spruik the leader's speech on here today."
Asked if it could be about tax, Woods said: "I'm not spruiking the leader's speech. You're not going to get me on that one."
Elsewhere in the interview, she said: " I'm not going to announce any of them on here."
Shepherd asked her if Labour was being "arrogant" assuming they could win based on their so-far successful COVID-19 response, rather than what they might do in the future.
"We are far from resting on our laurels. We've got a job to do... as a party to tell our story and make our case. There will be policies, but if you think about what this election is coming down to I think it is becoming very clear that one hand you have Labour, that's saying if we have the good fortune to be able to form a Government again after September 19, we're a Government that wants to invest in our people, put jobs at the fore, we want to look forward to the future. We don't see it as the role of Government to just step aside.
"Whereas if we look at what National... is proposing, there's $80 billion less borrowing there - and that means cuts to core public services. It's been described by one economist as like taking a chainsaw to public services. It's prudent investment versus austerity."
Woods said there were still no plans to cut a deal in Auckland Central to help the Greens get back into Parliament. The Greens are sitting around 5 percent in the polls, and at risk of being ejected if they don't win a seat.
"All of our candidates are out there working really hard to have Labour well-positioned on the night of September 19. Jacinda's been clear - there aren't deals. There is nothing to tell you, there are no deals."
