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10 mins to read
42

Key wins second debate as Cunliffe freezes


PLUS: Quick wrap of pundit, snap poll an social media reaction.

Wed, 03 Sep 2014

A much more assertive John Key rebounded to win the second leaders' debate, according to the social media mob, snap polls and pundits (see quick summaries below).

The debate was hosted by The Press in Christchurch last night, and streamed live on Stuff.co.nz.

Commentators across the board gave the debate to the PM, though some thought he was a little too re-energised, undermining his victory by being too shouty and snarky at times, and too cocky in the second half.

The signature moment of the clash was when John Key challenged David Cunliffe on capital gains tax, asking if the new tax policy would apply to homes owned by family trusts. The question was a guaranteed win for Key, given it underlined that Cunliffe's posh Herne Bay home is owned by a trust. He got a bonus when the Labour leader froze, unable to remember his party's policy. Cunliffe made a bodgy attempt to try and avoid the question that had even left bloggers like Russell Brown groaning, and Key made hay (see from 57s into this highlight reel).

After the debate, Cunliffe conceded Key caught him out. The answer was no, the CGT would not apply to any family home, including those owned by trusts.

The biggest loser was the quality of the webcast. The video was dimly lit, and on Twitter and Facebook many complained about the poor audio overall, and the fact the PM's microphone did seem to have higher volume (not the advantage it might seem, as it was abrasively loud). Privacy Commissioner John Edwards quipped "That live stream was an affront to democracy". The Listener's Toby Manhire said the audio was out of sync, like a cheaply dubbed foreign movie. Tricky cove, Johnny Technology.

Key moments
Beyond his capital gains jab, the PM went on the front foot over Dirty Politics, condemning Cameron Slater for the first time. He also pledged the blogger's emails would be included in the inquiry into former Justice Minister Judith  Collins conduct in regard to the SFO.

The PM also made a comeback on the catchphrase front, repeatedly stating that Labour would introduce five new taxes.

And he was back on form with one-liners, saying Labour and the Greens were the Usain Bolt of new spending.

Cunliffe's best line was on Cameron Slater: "He gets responses to OIAs quicker than I can get a pizza."

Key said a modest tax cut policy would be announced next week.

He also hit back on the Labour and Greens policy to raise the minimum wage, saying "You want to send 16,000 Kiwis to the dole queue David, I won't do that."

Most commentators thought Cunliffe failed to capitalise on the latest Dirty Politics developments, but that the Labour leader regained some initiative in the second half as the debate, especially over the Christchurch rebuild, where he accused Key of playing the "schoolyard larrikin" when people's families were suffering. 

TV3's John Campbell wiil moderate a leaders' debate on September 10, then the two men will spar for a fourth and final time in a return to TVNZ on September 17. 

Snap polls - who won?

Again there's the caveat these were self-selecting samples, but here are some progress results

  • NBR ONLINE: Key: 69%, David Cunliffe: 28%, Draw: 3%
  • NewstalkZB: Key: 67%, Cunliffe: 33%, Tie: 0%
  • Stuff (progress result): Key: 45.5%, Cunliffe: 48.4%, It was neck and neck: 3.2%, Neither: 2.9%

Pundits
Rob Hoskiing (NBR politics editor): Key. "Technical win to Key but not much in it. Like one of those old 5-3 1960s rugby test score lines."

John Armstrong (NZ Herald): Key. "Slaughter time. For the second time in successive elections, the Labour leader has come a cropper at the hands of John Key during the Christchurch Press leaders' debate. For Phil Goff, it was being unable to say where the money was coming from; for Cunliffe it was detail about how Labour's capital gains tax would apply to homes in family trusts. Cunliffe could not provide an answer. He should have known. He froze."

Audrey Young (NZ Herald): Key. "Lightning does strike twice. John Key won the Press debate three years ago when Phil Goff didn't know the answer to a question, the "show me the money" moment. It happened again in last night's debate when David Cunliffe didn't know the answer to a question on his own capital gains tax and trusts. Key answered the question himself. It was a calculated ambush and it wounded Cunliffe. You felt embarrassed for him." 

Toby Manhire (Listener, NZ Herald): Key. "When John Key challenged David Cunliffe on trusts and capital gains, he rattled him. A palpable hit. Key then grew too cocky, but still won the first half comfortably. The second part was Cunliffe's. Key had calmed, but as questions centred on post-quake Christchurch, Cunliffe won the crowd."

Fran O'Sullivan (NZ Herald): Key. "John Key was pumped with all the energy of a barrow boy, ramping up the fear factor about Labour's "five new taxes" and catching David Cunliffe out when it came to the detail on Labour's capital gains tax. The Prime Minister neutralised the Kim Dotcom threat and distanced himself from Cameron Slater. Cunliffe emphasised the people factor and scored points on Christchurch."

Vernon Small (Stuff): Tie. "Key stepped up his performance, using humour far more ...  though risked appearing 'smart-alecky' at times.

What do you think? Who won the second leaders' debate? Click here to vote in our subscriber-only business pulse poll.

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Politics David Cunliffe debate Prime Minister John Key BusinessDesk
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