Labour leader Jacinda Ardern has revealed Party's new hoardings while officially launching election campaign at Auckland Town Hall this afternoon.
Ms Ardern spoke spiritedly in front of a large gathering of enthusiastic party supporters that included among others former Prime Minister Helen Clark.
Ms Ardern started her speech speaking about Labour values and promise of social progressiveness by invoking several previous Labour Prime Ministers including Norman Kirk, David Savage, David Lange and Helen Clark.
Blaming the current National led government for the current abyss of homelessness and increasing poverty and infrastructure worse, Ms Ardern was quick to talk about the country's economy in the last nine years.
"Some have said that the only thing I need to show you to prove that I deserve to govern is an appreciation of the economy," Ms Ardern said, taking a jibe at those in government and political commentators who have questioned her ability to lead the nation.
However, what she spoke after that jibe was less about financial numbers and more about the alternative vision of interpreting economic success that the Labour and the parties on left have been seeking to propose- judging success differently.
"It's what we use as the signs of success," Ms Ardern said.
"I will always maintain that a successful economy is one that serves its people. Not the other way around. And that means judging success differently," Ms Ardern asserted.
Towards that goal Labour is seeking to change Public Finance Act.
"Under Labour, we will change the public finance act so that every budget, you don't just hear about surpluses and deficits, you will hear about how many kids have lifted we have lifted out of poverty," Ms Ardern said.
Ms Ardern was also astute to invoke her connection with the regions - an area largely considered to be out of urban-liberalism that the parties on the left so passionately claim to represent, to suggest that the party wants "Jacinda -mania" to hit as well.
"I have spent longer living in small town New Zealand than I have spent in Auckland.
"I have seen constant battle to find a way to make young people stay, and build a future," Ms Ardern said.
Low economic productivity was another key feature of her speech.
"Economic experts talk a lot about our low productivity. I can see why" Ms Ardern said.
"It's a shorthand for telling people to work longer to prop up or economy. It's a shorthand for low wages. It's Shortland for fewer hours at home with your kids, " Ms Ardern said in front of enthusiastic Party supporters.
Housing under the Nationals also received major flak from Ms Ardern.
"Housing affects everything. There is nothing more basic than having a roof your head," Ms Ardern said.
The mood of party workers and supporters present on the occasion was undoubtedly elevated.
The Leader of the Scottish Labour Party Doug Dale was also present at the event.
However, the biggest applause of the afternoon was reserved for the former Prime Minister Helen Clark.
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