Fourth leaders' debate a tie as food metaphors fly

The fourth and final leaders' debate was judged a tie by most pundits. 

Labour leader David Cunliffe needed a knock-out blow to capture public attention, but failed to deliver in a frenetic half-hour (including commercial breaks) moderated by Mike Hosking

The spying controversy was first-up, but was over in a flash without the PM conceding any ground (earlier, Mr Cunliffe requested the debate be extended to accommodate more discussion of the NSA/GCSB controversy; the PM refused).

"There's no mass surveillance by the GCSB on New Zealander. There never has been," Mr Key said.

Challenged by Mr Cunliffe about mass surveillance of NZers by foreign agencies, the PM said,  "They may under their own laws legitimately gather some information about New Zealanders", echoing his comment earlier in the day that Edward Snowden "may well be right" that the NSA uses XKeyFree to access information about New Zealanders.

Asked about new allegations that New Zealand spies on is allies, Mr Key said "I'm not going to go into that. Key on spy agencies "I tell you why we have them ... New Zealanders face real threats. And as PM I can walk away from protecting people, or do my job."

Steak vs chops
The debate will mainly be remembered for two moments, neither particularly informative for voters.

One saw John Key lean over to lay his hand on the arm of an interrupting David Cunliffe. It was touch versus shouty.

The other was when coalition partnership options were discussed, and Mr Key introduced the first of a number of food metaphors when asked about the Conservatives.

"If you want to buy steak, go to your supermarket or butcher and buy steak. Don’t buy lamp chop," the PM said 

Mr Cunliffe said National's coalition partners were "a very different basket of fish".

Asked after the debate about what food group NZ First was like, Mr Key replied that he wasn't sure. Possibly pudding, he said.

Later, on Paul Henry suggested "tripe" or possibly "a whisky chaser".

Winston for Speaker
Less remarked on by pundits but possibly significant was the fact both leaders seemed open to the idea of Winston Peters becoming Speaker.

Both ruled out offering the Prime Ministership to Mr Peters, and made ambiguous noises about Deputy Prime Minister, but saw the Speaker's chair as something that could be, as Mr Cunliffe put it, "up for discussion."

Well might they discuss it. The role, with its prestige, sense of control over the House that has ejected him so often and guaranteed-knighthood could tempt the NZ First leader in the event he becomes kingmaker (as the latest polls indicate) and needs to be brought onside without bagging a senior cabinet role.

How the pundits picked it

Rob Hosking (NBR politics editor): Key. "A small win to Key but not much in it.  And I suspect even if one of them had delivered a king hit, it is too late in the campaign now. My impression is most people have tuned out now. There is a strong sense that most people are over this election. I don't think the mass early voting is a sign we're going to see a bigger turnout this time - I think its people realising they can vote early and then think about other stuff." 

John Armstrong, (NZ Herald): Cunliffe. "The half-hour format meant that it felt like it was over before it had even begun. [It] revealed how far Cunliffe has come in the past four weeks. He was confident, authoritative and and had made sure he had a grasp of the detail. But he should have skewered Key on the latter's changing story on the GCSB and mass surveillance."

Matthew Hooton (various): Key. "Cunliffe needed a real blinder to have won the debate. He didnt do to John Key what, say, David Lange did to Muldoon."

Fran O'Sullivan (NZ Herald): Draw. "It was obvious both leaders were developing a bad case of candidates' regret. They have thrown their all at the election campaign. But they are clearly both fighting a sore point that Dirty Politics, Kim Dotcom et al have sucked the oxygen from their campaigns."

Audrey Young (NZ Herald): Key. "John Key was right about one thing: Labour would need Internet Mana's support - also known simply as "Dotcom" to Key. Key's objective was to link Labour to Dotcom. It didn't entirely work. Cunliffe lamented the fact too much time this campaign had been spent on him.A most dissatisfying format but Key's natural communication skills won it for him over Cunliffe. It's our turn now.

Toby Manhire (NZ Herald): Winston Peters. "The real winner was Winston Peters, who sat at an invisible stool sipping the good stuff, while both men praised him to the skies, like starving waiters desperate for a tip."