A new 1News Verian poll shows it is an uphill battle for the centre-left bloc, while ACT starts to feel the pressure of wanting to be treated like a big party. Does it risk blowing up like a Guy Fawkes night firework?

Chris Hipkins' falling popularity narrows Labour's potential path to victory, while National steps on Pharmac's independence in its rush to make Christopher Luxon appear more caring.

We look back to parallels between this campaign and the 1999 election, while Shane Jones takes to the hills to sing for Northland. It's all in this week's Caucus, with Guyon Espiner, Lisa Owen, Julian Wilcox and Tim Watkin. In the countdown to Election 2023, the podcast is out every Thursday afternoon and plays on RNZ National at 6pm each Sunday.