Christopher Luxon: Prime Minister and National Leader on advanced voter numbers, previews the OCR

National's Christopher Luxon says it's great to see so many people already showing up to vote.  

Nearly 70 thousand people cast their ballots on day one of advance voting.  

That's slightly more than the same time at the last election.  

Luxon told Mike Hosking he's hoping that's a sign people are going to give his government another crack.  

He says people understand it's been a difficult three years, but that his plan just needs more time as it's starting to work.  

When it comes to the economy, the Prime Minister's blaming the conflict in the Middle East for headline inflation remaining stubbornly high.  

Economists are predicting the Reserve Bank's will lift the OCR by 25 basis points this afternoon, taking it to 3%.  

Inflation's running at 3.7%, outside the target band of 1–3%.  

Luxon told Hosking the war's pushed up oil prices around the world, and how you respond to it matters – you can't just get the money hose and spray cash around. 

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