# National Defends Attack Ads Targeting Green Co-Leader

> National Party defends attack ads targeting Green co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick amid election campaign tensions.
- Title: National Defends Attack Ads Targeting Green Co-Leader
- Summary: National Party defends attack ads targeting Green co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick amid election campaign tensions. National Party co-leader Nicola Willis defends…
- Keywords: breaking, national, green party, chloe swarbrick, nicola willis, election 2026, attack ads, politics, election campaign, news, Defends, Attack
- Source: NZ Herald — https://nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/election-2026-live-updates-nicola-willis-defends-attack-ads-directed-at-greens-co-leader-chloe-swarbrick/27DWKFI7WFD5HC52JUY2DQET5I
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: breaking, national, green party, chloe swarbrick, nicola willis, election 2026, attack ads, politics, election campaign, news
## Election Campaign Pressure
It's the final week of the election campaign and parties are under pressure to pull out all the stops before voting closes on Saturday.
## National Defends Attack Ads
National's Nicola Willis defends her party's ongoing attacks directed at Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick.
## Volunteer Regrets Post
A prominent National volunteer says he regrets a social media post saying an assault victim was a Labour voter.
## School Invites Green Candidate
'Blindsided': Parent criticises school for inviting Green candidate to awards.
## Poll Results
Labour on 30.6%, National down to 24.8%, with 14% of former National voters now planning to vote Labour.
## Green Party Wealth Tax
Green co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick says the Wealth Tax could see 28.5% of people change behaviour, including some leaving New Zealand.
## National's Attack Ads
Swarbrick says National is more interested in 'cosplaying Mean Girls' than talking policy.
## Swarbrick's Response
Swarbrick calls Willis' defense of attack ads 'astounding' and says it ignores National's role in encouraging online attacks.
## Policy Debate Challenge
Swarbrick issues a dare to National to run an 'honest campaign' for the remaining days until election day.
## Volunteer Regrets Post
Rotorua National volunteer Raj Kumar regrets posting a video joking that a Labour voter was beaten up in a street fight.
## Sole Traders Concerns
Hnry chief executive James Fuller says sole traders aren't being considered in policy decisions by political parties.
## School Invites Green Candidate
A mother complains about 'radical left-wing anti-Government propaganda' shared by a Green candidate at a college awards ceremony.
## Election Outcome
The collapse of the purple vote will see many current MPs seeking new jobs after the election, including some senior National ministers.
## Election Results
Labour's support is up from 26.9% to 30.6%, with 71.5% of 2023 voters still backing the party.
## Key takeaway

National Party co-leader Nicola Willis defends ongoing attack ads targeting Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick, who calls the strategy 'astounding' and demands a policy debate.