With just five days of campaigning to go Labour is still trailing National by a significant margin and a change of government is the most likely outcome on Saturday.

Wellington, Nov 2 NZPA - A rough election campaign for New Zealand First leader Winston Peters just got a little bit tougher for him with one poll predicting he will be trounced in Tauranga on election day.

By Maggie Tait of NZPA Wellington, Nov 2 NZPA - National leader John Key told supporters in Upper Hutt today the public had to choose whether they wanted a National, United Future, Act Government or not -- but he did not mention the Maori Party.

National still holds a commanding lead over Labour and NZPA's average of published opinion polls shows that with its allies it would have a majority in Parliament and be able to form a government.

Labour has moved to match National's planned job-loss package, with Prime Minister Helen Clark today saying it will announce a transitional assistance package in the next few days.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters and billionaire Owen Glenn both say there was no connection between a large donation to the party and Mr Peters backing the expatriate's bid for a diplomatic position.

With less than two weeks before polling day National is screening new ads challenging Labour's record while a billboard erected in Tauranga pokes fun at New Zealand First leader Winston Peters. National's television advertisements question Labour's record over the past nine years.

ACT and National are again attacking Winston Peters now that official documents released to NZPA have shown he initially pushed hard for Owen Glenn to be appointed honorary consul in Monaco.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says his party would set up a fund to buy back electricity networks from foreign owners. "You have been price-gouged, overcharged and exploited for long enough," he said in a speech to a Grey Power meeting in Queenstown yesterday.

An election debate with the six leaders of the minor political parties was a worthwhile discussion of issues but was just too tame, a relaxed Winston Peters told media last night .