Jacinda Ardern pushes stability over change in New Zealand's 'Covid election'

The prime minister is pitching a mix of steady leadership and big-spending policies to voters after a world-leading coronavirus response

• Covid report: New Zealand goes 100 days without local transmission

On her first public outing since launching her party's election campaign the day before, New Zealand's prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, spent Sunday morning at a farmers' market in central Auckland where she walked among friends, posed for selfies and did her vegetable shopping.

Ardern is riding high in the polls - as is the Labour party - on the back of her stewardship of the country's Covid-19 response. Her strong position has been aided by troubles within the opposition National party, which is heading into September's election with its third leader in as many months.