New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern resumed Monday (September 7) an electoral campaign interrupted by the coronavirus with the promise to the Maoris to make a holiday for the day which marks the new year for them.
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The legislative campaign had barely started last month, when an epidemic resurgence led to the confinement of Auckland, the country's largest city, as well as the suspension of meetings.
Yet widely favored in the polls, the Labor leader has resolved to postpone the elections for four weeks, until October 17.
The idea was to focus on tackling a new epidemic wave that had ended 102 days without any cases of local transmission of Covid-19.
Taking advantage of the lifting of lockdown in Auckland, Ms Ardern launched her campaign with a pledge to make Matariki, the Maori New Year, a public holiday starting in 2022. “
I have heard the calls across New Zealand to make Matariki a public holiday,
”she said.
“
It's time to do it.
"
Important message for the indigenous community
His second in the Labor Party, Kelvin Davis, who is of Māori descent, explained that the decision was an important message to the indigenous community of New Zealand which, although it represents less than 20% of its population, is central in the cultural identity of the archipelago.
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Jacinda Ardern observed that Matariki, which usually falls in July in the heart of the southern winter, would help stimulate growth by encouraging spending.
“
We don't have a lot of public holidays compared to other OECD countries and it will be good to take a break from the long winter,
” she said.
The leader who has just turned 40 remains the favorite in the poll.
A poll conducted last week by Roy Morgan Research credited Labor with 48% of the vote, 19.5 points ahead of the opposition National Party.
It remains to be seen whether Jacinda Ardern will be able to form a government on her own.
She is currently in coalition with the Greens and Populists of New Zealand First (NZF).
The Labor advance, however, fell in relation to July when they were credited with 60% of the voting intentions, the return of the virus to the archipelago having given bullets to the opposition to criticize the dysfunctions of border controls.
The National Party was quick to say on Monday that the government's priority should be boosting the economy battered by the economy, rather than creating new public holidays.
“
The problem is, this is another holiday that businesses will have to pay,
” said National Party Leader Judith Collins.