The Labour Party says National leader Christopher Luxon's chickening out of an important leaders' debate, which can't go ahead on Tuesday because Chris Hipkins has COVID-19.
National refuses to put Luxon up against anyone but his Labour counterpart, though they can't seem to find an alternative date in his schedule.
So why did Christopher cross the road? Is it - as Labour claims - to get away from a debate?
"It looks like he's being slippery, it looks like he's chickening out," said Labour campaign chair Megan Woods.
But National's campaign chair Chris Bishop said that was "utterly infantile and stupid".
"The only person who has pulled out of a leaders' debate is the leader of the Labour Party and our Prime Minister, Chris Hipkins. That is facile and infantile, much like the Labour Party."
He said the "latest lie today is that the National Party has pulled out of a leaders' debate when the leader of the Labour Party, the Prime Minister, has COVID and therefore can't make the prearranged debate".
Hipkins had to pull out of The Press debate on Tuesday because he was thrown a campaign COVID curveball, taking him out of action until Friday.
Senior Labour MP Grant Robertson said Hipkins was making himself next week when out of isolation.
"Christopher Luxon should be there and debate him if he wants to be Prime Minister," Robertson said.
Stuff - which owns The Press - and Labour have been trying to lock in another match next week.
In a statement, Stuff said, Luxon's team have been unable to provide any alternative dates.
"Thousands of people were looking forward to seeing both leaders in person in the only South Island debate... It will be a huge disappointment to a great many people, if this cannot go ahead."
Though National's campaign chair says there are other debates they can watch.
"Guess what, people in the South Island have TVs," said Bishop.
But Woods said this is the only debate in front of a large live audience and the only one that focuses on South Island issues.
The Press debate is a campaign fixture. It first came to be after the earthquakes and is usually a rowdy affair in front of a huge, boisterous Cantabrian audience. It's led to memorable moments and missteps like Sir John Key's 'Show me the money!' moment.
With Hipkins' case of the COVID curse, his team's having to play sausie-loving stand-ins.
The sub-ins on Monday promised that if Labour is re-elected it would speak to supermarkets about what they needed to increase competition.
But when it comes to The Press debate, the Nats won't settle for a Hipkins stand-in.
"No, we're not getting into this. Christopher Luxon is not going to sit down and debate Kelvin [Davis] in Christchurch," said Bishop.
The only option for them is mano a mano - head to head - leader to leader.
"People are assessing Chris Luxon against Chris Hipkins and he's not going to debate any old, random Joe Schmo in the Labour Party," said Bishop.
Robertson said: "He is running scared from the debate. He should just make sure he can find a date next week. We have offered alternatives. He can do the same, and the debate can go ahead."
Perhaps no debate tomorrow. But certainly a big debate over that debate today.
