National's Christopher Luxon and Labour's Chris Hipkins are facing off in the last leaders debate before the general election.
Luxon and Hipkins will debate each other from 7pm on Thursday in TVNZ's leaders debate moderated by political editor Jessica Mutch-McKay.
It comes after a shock Newshub-Reid Research poll on Wednesday showed the election on a knife edge with the gap between the left and right blocs narrowing.
The poll showed National's vote had plummeted 4.6 points to 34.5 percent.
Labour is still losing though, only picking up 1 point to 27.5 percent.
The Greens' conspicuous absence from much of this campaign is doing their vote wonders. It was up 0.7 to 14.9 percent.
ACT's fall from grace has baked in, stalling on 8.8 percent. New Zealand First, meanwhile, was up 1.6 points to 6.8 percent.
These live updates have now finished.
8:04pm - The debate has now finished.
8:03pm - Both have committed to staying for the full term if they win.
8:02pm - Luxon says he has no regrets about his campaign but says he has probably made mistakes along the way.
Hipkins says he regrets not challenging National more over its tax plans.
8:00pm - Both leaders say they haven't thought about whether they will stay on or resign if they lose the election.
7:58pm - The topic is now division. Mutch McKay is asking whether politicians have a right to call out racism.
Luxon says absolutely and he "rejects racism in all its forms".
Hipkins says yes and he has called out racism and dog-whistling whenever he has come across it.
Hipkins also hit out at Luxon for previously calling some New Zealanders "bottom-feeders".
Luxon says it's important not to pit people against such as employers versus employees or farmers versus city-livers.
7:51pm - The leaders are discussing how they are planning to invest in proper sewerage and water infrastructure.
Mutch McKay has asked whether both leaders are willing to work together on big issues such as infrastructure, education and health.
Neither leader is willing to commit to voting together to fix big issues.
7:40pm - Quickfire.
Do you have health insurance?
Both say yes.
Hipkins says he was able to get it through his union.
7:38pm - Luxon has accused Hipkins of being disrespectful for interrupting and repeatedly told him to calm down. Earlier Hipkins said he wasn't going to calm down about beneficiaries having their incomes cut.
7:37pm - The leaders are being asked how much they spend on food each week. Luxon says $60 to noises of confusion from the audience. He clarified this is when he is living alone in Wellington.
Hipkins meanwhile said probably $300 to $400 a week.
7:35pm - Hipkins says the lowest income people would lose $2000 a year while landlords get a million dollar tax cut under National.
Hipkins accused Luxon of having his moral compass all wrong.
But the solo mum pointed out there are still thousands of children in poverty under Labour.
Hipkins says there is more to be done but his government has lifted benefits not reduced them.
7:32pm - A solo mum with a criminal history who is now an advocate for beneficiaries is asking what each leader is actually going to do to help eliminate poverty and why should voters trust them?
Hipkins says he doesn't want to see children in poverty and pointed to improvements to child poverty indicators over the past six years.
Luxon says he will build a stronger and better economy.
But Hipkins jumped in saying, "You want to cut benefits".
Luxon said he wanted the chance to reply and said he plans to get more people into work so they don't need to rely on benefits.
7:29pm - Quickfire:
Fees free tertiary?
Both say yes.
Voting at 16?
Hipkins: For local not general
Luxon: No
Parents fined for truant kids?
Hipkins: It doesn't change attendance
Luxon: Yes
Ban greyhound racing?
Both say yes
Would you go to China in the first six months if elected?
Both say yes
7:26pm - Jessica Mutch McKay asked Luxon whether he had considered putting Winston Peters in the space minister role.
But Luxon didn't seem keen replying, "no, no, no."
7:25pm - Luxon is criticising Hipkins for not securing a trade deal with India.
Luxon committed to securing a free trade agreement but Hipkins questioned how he is going to do that when India has said they're not willing to enter trade negotiations with New Zealand.
"How can you commit to a free trade agreement with India when India is saying they won't commit to one with New Zealand? Are you going to go over there and tell them they have to?"
But Luxon said he was confident he could secure a free trade agreement.
7:24pm - The leaders are discussing trade. Hipkins says while he was in the UK negotiating a trade deal, Luxon was calling New Zealand "wet and whiny".
7:14pm - Earlier in the debate Hipkins also guaranteed that he would not oversee a government that implements a wealth tax.
7:11pm - Hipkins says David Seymour and Winston Peters would run circles around Luxon who hits back saying he can barely manage his Cabinet.
Luxon hit out at Hipkins' series of Cabinet disasters this year. But Chippy wasn't having it replying, "None of my MPs beat people up with a bed leg."
7:08pm - Do the leaders trust each other?
Hipkins says no. As does Luxon who says he can't trust Hipkins because he doesn't deliver.
7:07pm - The two leaders are clashing over tax. Luxon cut Hipkins off saying, "Chris just calm down, calm down."
Luxon accused Hipkins of having no ideas to take the country forward. Hipkins hit back accusing National of running a negative campaign.
Luxon accused Labour of being a "wet, whiny and miserable" Government.
7:05pm - Luxon was asked whether the latest 1News poll which showed only 33 percent of people trust him is upsetting.
Luxon says trust is important and commits to following through on the things he promises.
Hipkins says he also thinks trust is important which is why he is honest.
7:00pm - The debate has begun.
6:37pm - The election campaign has been rife with accusations from both sides of coalitions of chaos. But Newshub can reveal which side voters think would be more stable.
The latest Newshub-Reid Research poll shows 48.8 percent of respondents think National, ACT and NZ First would be a more stable Government, compared to 41.4 percent for Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori.
Read more here.
6:25pm - Click here for the latest advanced voting data.
