Asia Pacific, Coronavirus outbreak, Jacinda Ardern, Judith Collins, New Zealand, New Zealand election 2020, New Zealand politics, World news
Ardern v Collins: New Zealand party leaders clash in lively but muddled debate
Rivals veered into parodies of themselves, with most analysts declaring incumbent the winner
The leaders of New Zealand’s two main political parties, Jacinda Ardern and Judith Collins, have clashed in a boisterous, energetic and at times muddled third debate before the election on 17 October.
Ardern – the centre-left Labour leader and popular prime minister who is leading in the polls – was widely agreed to have won the debate over Collins, from the centre-right National party, but the pair often veered into parodies of themselves rather than engaging on the substance, analysts said.