Mike's Minute: Here's what the 2026 Election is about

I'm 100% convinced this election is about the economy. 

Do people blame the Government in any way for the economic fallout from war? 

Does the economic grind make you look to other political answers? 

If Labour promises more money, was the lesson of the last Labour Government not learned? Or do enough not care and will take the money and worry another day, if they worry at all? 

Polls will show the usual nonsense around health and education and crime. These are just headline thoughts people drum up when a pollster asks a question. 

It's the same question and same answer, forever. 

But potentially, if there's an issue outside the economy this time it's immigration. Mainly because it's been used successfully before to stir the pot. 

The trouble this time is immigration, in terms of facts, isn't a thing. 

When 130,000 newbies arrive, sure, there is a debate. But when it's 24,000 it's no longer an issue. 

The brain drain is basically over. Sadly, those that were leaving have largely gone and those that have replaced them are here. 

Now, if you don’t like the cultural make up of New Zealand that’s fine, but the election will contain no polices that will change the current make-up. 

No one is booting anyone in any numbers out of this country. 

A lot of the immigration noise is a political ploy picked up from offshore where immigration is a real touch point. But that is illegal immigration; boat people, gangs on beaches, etc. 

We don’t have that. Never have, never will. 

Our system is points based – you get points for skills. You can argue around the edges on what those skills are and you can argue around the edges over what countries those skills come from. 

You can also argue, with Auckland being the best example, that the cultural landscape has materially changed. I see it, you can't miss it. 

Personally, I like it and, sure, not everyone does, but no politician is going to change what we already have. 

And that’s the trouble with this election – if immigration is an issue, and if it's divisive, that’s a ploy. 

If we were being overrun, fine, have the debate. But we aren't. In fact, it’s the opposite. 

As long as employers still can't find talent, and that’s real, where do the workers come from and why would you vote not to solve that problem?     

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
So here's the deal. I'm one hundred percent convinced of
this election right, is about what the economy? Do people
blame the government in any way for the economic fallout
from the war. Does the economic grind make you look
to other political answers say if labour promise more money,
was the lesson of the last labor government not learned?
Or do enough people not care and will take the
money anyway and worry about it another day. Polls will

(00:21):
show and there will be plenty of these poles coming
up as the campaign gets closer. Poles will show the
utual nonsense around health and education and crime. And these
are just these are just headline thoughts that people drum
up when a polster asks a question. It's the same question,
the same answers every campaign. Boring is But potentially if
there is one issue outside the economy that is real
this time, it is immigration, mainly because it's been used

(00:43):
successfully before to stir the pots. So the trouble this
time is immigration in terms of facts, isn't a thing.
See when one hundred and thirty thousand people arrive, sure
there's a debate, but currently it's twenty four ish, twenty
four thousand, it's no longer an issue. See the brain
drains over. Sadly, those who have left have gone and
those who have replaced them are here. Now. If you

(01:05):
don't like the cultural makeup of New Zealand, that's fine,
but the election will contain no policies that will change
the current makeup. No one's booting anyone out of the country.
A lot of the immigration noise, of course, is a
political ploy has been picked up from offshore where immigration
is a real touch point. So but that's a legal immigration.
Both people gangs on beaches. We don't have that, never have,

(01:28):
never will. Our system is point space. You get points
for skills. Now you can argue around the edges if
you want, about what those skills are. You can argue
around the edges over what countries those skills come from.
You can also argue, say Auckland being the best example
that the cultural landscape has materially changed. Now you see it,
you can't miss it. Personally. I like it, not sure
everyone does. But no politician is going to change what

(01:49):
we've already got. And that's the trouble with the selection.
If immigration is an issue, and if it's the visive,
that's a ploy, it's a scam. If we're being overrun,
fine have the debate, but we're not. In fact, it's
the opposite. As long as employers still can't find talent,
and they can't, where do the workers come from and
why would you vote not to solve that particular problem.

(02:11):
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