The leaders of both main political parties made their way to Auckland by bus on the final day of campaigning before Saturday's general election.
National Party leader John Key on Friday was travelling from Taupo to Auckland on the bright blue campaign bus emblazoned with his picture.
The bus was making stops at Hamilton, Manukau City, Henderson and Helensville where Mr Key was to visit shopping malls, supermarkets, a town hall and a vineyard.
[image:3881:full]National Party campaign chairman Steven Joyce, who joined Mr Key for the final stage of the two-day tour, said the campaign had gone well for the party because it had focused on the most important issue - the economy.
"People watching the TV every night, with Europe and the US, and they're seeing some of the things that happen when you have political instability.
"I think what they're saying is 'actually one thing we're very concerned about is ensuring we don't have the same thing in this country'."
Mr Joyce said people see Mr Key as having offered strong, stable government over the past three years.
Labour highlights opposition to asset sales
Labour Party leader Phil Goff vowed to keep campaigning until midnight as he made a last push for votes.
Mr Goff set off from Rotorua on Friday morning with his own bus tour designed to highlight Labour's opposition to asset sales.
[image:3882:full]His first stop was Whakamaru Dam at Mangakino, which is owned by Mighty River Power, one of four state-owned energy companies the National Party wants to sell a minority stake in.
Young Labour activists unrolled a large banner down the side of the dam saying 'not for sale'.
Mr Goff told about 40 supporters that Saturday was the last chance to stop National selling the dam.
He said that if National gets an absolute majority it won't sell just 49%, it will sell "the whole damn lot."
Mr Goff also visited Karapiro Dam and Huntly Power Station.
The bus tour stopped the Hamilton suburb of Nawton, where Mr Goff told a crowd of 80 - 100 people that Labour will bring new priorities to Government to address child poverty.
Leaders of minor parties on campaign trail
In Wellington, Green Party co-leader Russel Norman talked to shoppers and business owners in Newtown. He said the party had run a focussed campaign on core policies of getting children out of poverty, clean rivers and green jobs and he was confident of a good result.
[image:3883:half:right]United Future leader Peter Dunne, who was out meeting the public in the Johnsonville shopping mall, trumpeted his party as a good support partner for a National-led Government.
ACT leader Don Brash was at the party's formal campaign close being held at a bar in central Auckland, after which the party's Epsom candidate John Banks planned to campaign in the electorate until midnight.
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters met with an exporters group on Friday afternoon.
Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples attended a white ribbon march against family violence in west Auckland.
Mana Party leader Hone Harawira was attending electorate community events, then relaxing before election day.
