New Zealand voters could give Jacinda Ardern electoral coal for Christmas challenge after the prime minister reluctantly called a rare December by-election in Hamilton West.
The Labour PM has been forced into a poll in the bellwether seat after one of her Labour MPs, Gaurav Sharma, went rogue, falling out with the party and eventually resigning from parliament.
That left Ms Ardern with no option but to call a by-election in the Waikato seat, which will be held on December 10.
With a general election a year away, the race is being treated as a preview of next year's national poll, and opposition National are licking their lips.
"We're putting our best foot forward, running a strong campaign and looking forward to it," National party campaign chair Chris Bishop said.
Given Labour's tanking poll numbers and its awkward fall-out with Dr Sharma, who entered parliament in the Labour landslide of 2020, Ms Ardern's party is managing expectations, positioning as the underdog.
Labour campaign chair Megan Woods said "we're eyes wide open (as to) the challenge this will be".
Ms Ardern has admitted she doesn't want the by-election.
"I am still disappointed on behalf of taxpayers that we're having this by election in the first place," she said.
"It seems to me to be a complete waste of taxpayer money. However, here we are, and so we will proceed."
It's been argued that Labour's prospects are so low, they might consider not standing a candidate, but the PM suggested Labour would join the race.
"Parties now will go into the usual process of working through who the candidates will be, and Labour will of course be included and will be the same for for us," she said.
Mr Bishop said Labour appeared to be giving up despite winning the seat with a 6000-strong majority last time.
"The seat swung very hard to the left at the 2020 election ... I see the Labour Party is doing their best to talk down their chances, it doesn't say much about their chances next year," he said.
The result will have no bearing on the government's ability to pass legislation, given Labour holds a majority in Wellington.
Ms Ardern set the date on Thursday, the same day regional Kiwis staged nationwide protests at her government - demonstrating the tough political environment for Labour.
Groundswell, a grassroots farming network with ties to right-wing advocacy groups, staged the "We're Not Going To Take It" protest across New Zealand.
The group claim have 50,000 signatures against the "farming tax", a reference to the government's world-first plan to reduce agricultural emissions.
Groundswell organised convoys across New Zealand to protests in more than a dozen cities and towns.
That led to the rare sight of tractors snaking across Auckland Harbour Bridge en route to a rally at the Auckland Domain.
However, turnout for the rallies across the country was patchy, and in the capital, it was paltry.
In Dunedin, the Otago Daily Times reported around 40 tractors converged on the CBD with many other vehicles, many with signs declaring their contempt for the government.
Protesters outside parliament were outnumbered by lunchers on the lawns enjoying a rare fine Spring day.
Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor, himself a farmer, risked aggravating Groundswell by labelling the crowd "embarrassing for them ... not as many as they thought".
The protests have also been co-opted by other political causes, including anti-vaccine protestors, making it hard to get a true read on the depth of opposition to the government's farming emissions plan.
