Neither Jacinda Ardern nor Judith Collins were willing to claim victory in last night's debate, but that has not stopped both Labour and National crowning their own champions.
Labour and National both claimed a win after The Press debate last night. Photo: RNZ / Screenshot / Twitter
Following The Press / Stuff debate at James Hay theatre in Christchurch, Labour's Jacinda Ardern said Labour has "real momentum" while National's Judith Collins said they both did well, and "politics" won.
The debate itself lived up to its reputation as boisterous and rowdy, with both leaders taking digs at each another's MPs and the audience cheering, booing and interjecting. There were even protesters outside, calling for an inquiry into Gloriavale, a secretive sect on the West Coast.
Ardern and Collins were both firing on all cylinders, though Ardern seemed buoyed by a Christchurch crowd of about 750 that seemed more often to cheer her and boo Collins.
Speaking to reporters afterwards she refused to say whether either leader had won the debate but had a positive spin on it for Labour.
"You know me, I never declare winners. That's ultimately for the viewers to decide."
Labour leader Jacinda Ardern speaks after The Press debate on Tuesday night. Photo: RNZ / Jane Patterson
"In this debate tonight I think what you heard was ... we now have real momentum and I think people are seeing that what we're offering is a stable government with a plan," she said.
"Tonight with such a large audience you can see it created some energy in the room."
Collins, whose party has claimed victory for her after every clash with Ardern, was also even-handed - although perhaps more subdued.
"I feel that it was a very good debate, I think politics won, I think we both did very well."
National leader Judith Collins Photo: RNZ / Jane Patterson
She says she enjoyed the crowd "even though Megan Woods was very loud".
Though neither claimed victory for themselves - perhaps out of modesty - it did not stop either party from celebrating their leader's success with both using the same terminology of having "smashed it".
@JudithCollinsMP smashed it again tonight. Only a National government can get New Zealand out of this jobs and economic crisis. #ThePressDebate #LeadersDebate pic.twitter.com/moRENn4BVs
— NZ National Party (@NZNationalParty) October 6, 2020
Jacinda Ardern knocked it out of the park in tonight's leaders debate. Now, let's stick together and #LetsKeepMoving pic.twitter.com/eApPCwLnCN
— New Zealand Labour (@nzlabour) October 6, 2020
Collins has spoken after each debate about how much she enjoys them, and this was no exception.
"I had a great time, I really enjoyed it. It's funny how it goes so fast for us, certainly for me."
Ardern seemed more upbeat about her performance than before, and said it was not too raucous - a step away from her statements after the first debate where she said her view is that politics is not a bloodsport.
"In fact, I enjoyed the debate ... the size of the audience I think makes a difference and the fact that in the audience you had a lot of participation - that's something that you see with The Press debates of the past ... I think that ultimately brings a bit of spark between us as well."
True to form, she refused to say what she thought her strongest or weakest moment may have been, although she said she would prefer to be quicker on the quickfire questions.
Perhaps that was a reference to the moderators' questions about the cost of living: neither leader could accurately answer the cost of a litre of milk, a leg of lamb, the price of a copy of The Press. They were also close - but not exact - on teachers' and nurses' starting wages.
Ardern said she stood by her price for two litres of milk - $4.50, the actual price being $3.40 for home brand - and said she had not bought a large piece of lamb for a while.
Collins said her milk price - $6 - was because she doesn't buy home brand, and stood by her lamb price. She defended both leaders' answers.
"You know what I'll tell you, I'd say the leaders of the two major parties are on the road almost every day and every night. We hardly ever get home. I'd say that Miss Ardern and I probably haven't been doing the shopping lately."
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