# Education heating up as battleground

> Labour and National clash over education policy as polling shows 74% support for mandatory one-hour daily learning.
- Title: Education heating up as battleground · NZ Herald | Shortify
- Summary: Labour and National clash over education policy as polling shows 74% support for mandatory one-hour daily learning. Labour's Ginny Andersen and National's…
- Keywords: education, labour, national, ginni andersen, erica stanford, one hour daily learning, polling, election 2026, politics, news, heating, battleground
- Source: NZ Herald — https://nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/election-2026-campaign-diary-education-heating-up-as-battleground-peters-mystery-conversation/premium/QULRTXH665G2BJC25QRIUMHLXM
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: education, labour, national, ginni andersen, erica stanford, one hour daily learning, polling, election 2026, politics, news
## Education policy clash
Labour's Ginny Andersen and National's Erica Stanford disagree over education policy.
## One hour learning debate
Chris Hipkins said Labour would drop compulsory one hour a day each on maths, reading and writing.
## National's response
National's Erica Stanford claims Labour favours teacher unions over kids' needs.
## Labour's defence
Ginny Andersen told Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking schools already do one hour learning.
## Public support
Parents' Alliance polling shows 74% of voters support mandatory one hour daily learning.
## Labour voter support
63% of Labour voters support mandatory one hour daily learning.
## Charter schools debate
Other contested issues include charter schools, Teachers' Council and PAT assessments.
## Mongrel Mob hui
The Mongrel Mob held a whānau, health and wellbeing election hui.
## MP criticism
National and Act MPs condemned Green MP Hūhana Lyndon and Te Pāti Māori MPs for attending Mongrel Mob event.
## Minister criticism
Three ministers criticised the Mongrel Mob event: Simeon Brown, Paul Goldsmith and Nicole McKee.
## Peters' mystery conversation
Winston Peters claimed his attack on Chinese-born Green MP Lawrence Xu-Nan was not racist.
## Xu-Nan's response
Xu-Nan confirmed he has never spoken with Peters but believes remarks were racist and harmful.
## Peters' justification
Peters said he knew Xu-Nan because he 'talked to him about it'.
## Xu-Nan's clarification
Xu-Nan suggested Peters may have mistaken him for someone else.
## Peters' stance
Xu-Nan stated his remarks were racist and harmful towards Chinese communities.
## Campaign quiz
The first electorate won by the Green Party in New Zealand was Coromandel in 1999.
## Key takeaway

Labour's Ginny Andersen and National's Erica Stanford disagree on education policy, with 74% of voters supporting mandatory one-hour daily learning.