The incumbent Prime Minister has been confronted by a poverty advocate after accusing National leader Christopher Luxon of wanting to take "from people who have the least".
Agnes Magele, from Auckland Action Against Poverty, asked Labour leader Chris Hipkins and Luxon how they would help eliminate hardship for all struggling people and families during Thursday night's TVNZ leaders' debate - the last head-to-head clash before Saturday's election.
Hipkins told Magele Labour had lifted 77,000 children out of poverty since being elected in 2017 but acknowledged there was more work to do.
Luxon, meanwhile, said he was committed to building a stronger, better economy to get people off welfare and into work.
But Hipkins told Luxon National wanted to "cut benefits". Luxon denied this, saying a National Government would increase benefits in line with inflation.
"Here's two numbers that New Zealanders should remember... our lowest-income households would lose $2000 a year under Christopher Luxon's plan," Hipkins said.
"Three-hundred mega-landlords... they would get $1 million each in tax cuts - I think that shows that your moral compass is entirely wrong. You want to take from the people who have the least to give to people who have the most," he told Luxon.
But before Luxon could respond, Magele interjected from the audience.
"Sorry, but in saying that also, Mr Prime Minister, Labour hasn't done anything to eliminate it at all," she said.
Hipkins was then asked by moderator Jessica Mutch-McKay whether Labour had done enough on poverty, noting one in 10 children were still experiencing severe hardship.
"Our job is not done," he said.
"We've lifted 77,000 children out of poverty and I will not stop until we've lifted all of those children out of poverty."
Hipkins said children couldn't be lifted out of poverty through "cutting benefits", pointing at Luxon.
"That's misinformation," Luxon responded. "Here Chris goes again, right? Misinformation, we are not cutting benefits - we are increasing benefits each and every year."
As for the question of whether the leaders could be trusted to address poverty if elected on Saturday, Luxon said: "Yes, because we have to do something about it - we have to grow this economy and get people working into higher-paid jobs."
Hipkins, meanwhile, denied Labour had squandered the opportunity to address poverty.
"We have increased benefits - including reversing Ruth Richardson's benefit cuts - at long-last."
