Luxon 'looking forward to' Leaders Debate, Hipkins vows he's PM-in-waiting

How they headlined it

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Mon 1:29pmTue 10:35pmWed 7:38am1:09pm

1. NZ HeraldMon 5 Oct, 1:29pm

   What voters dont want to hear at high stakes leaders debate audrey young (opens in new tab)Premium

   • Election 2026: Christopher Luxon and Chris Hipkins face do-or-die debate – Thomas Coughlan (opens in new tab) Tue 6 Oct, 5:00am
   • Election 2026: Christopher Luxon, Chris Hipkins face off in debate (opens in new tab) Tue 6 Oct, 8:40pm
   • Election 2026 herald experts pick which chris won the tvnz leaders debate (opens in new tab)Premium Tue 6 Oct, 10:09pm
   • Election 2026 national on track to lose and christopher luxons debate performance didnt help (opens in new tab)Premium Wed 7 Oct, 5:00am
   • Election 2026 behind the scenes of christopher luxon chris hipkins leaders debate what happened in the studio (opens in new tab)Premium Wed 7 Oct, 6:02am
   • Election 2026: Rising costs, health, tax the flashpoints of first leaders’ debate (opens in new tab) Wed 7 Oct, 7:38am
2. The PostTue 6 Oct, 4:00am

   Chris Hipkins v Christopher Luxon: Fiscal integrity, leadership credibility to dominate first debate tonight (opens in new tab)

   • Leaders debate: Hipkins wins on points as neither Chris lands knockout blow (opens in new tab) Wed 7 Oct, 4:00am
   • Editorial: Don’t throw away your opportunity, Mr Luxon (opens in new tab) Thu 8 Oct, 4:00am
3. 1NewsTue 6 Oct, 6:00am

   Luxon 'looking forward to' Leaders Debate, Hipkins vows he's PM-in-waiting (opens in new tab)

   • Leaders debate: Luxon, Hipkins fire up over cost of living, trust, racism (opens in new tab) Wed 7 Oct, 6:00am
   • 'Stop telling lies': Brown and McAnulty clash in post-debate panel (opens in new tab) Wed 7 Oct, 9:54am
   • Luxon v Hipkins debate reaches more than a million New Zealanders (opens in new tab) Wed 7 Oct, 12:26pm
   • Vote Compass: Just two-thirds of National voters think Luxon won Leaders Debate (opens in new tab) Wed 7 Oct, 1:33pm
4. NewsroomTue 6 Oct, 10:35pm

   Hipkins edges Luxon on relatability in first 2026 election leaders’ debate (opens in new tab)

   • Leaders debate: night of the possibly living dead (opens in new tab) Wed 7 Oct, 5:25am
   • TVNZ leaders' debate: The worm returns in disguise (opens in new tab) Wed 7 Oct, 5:46am
   • Blinder or blowout? Newsroom’s debate takeaways (opens in new tab) Wed 7 Oct, 5:56am
5. RNZWed 7 Oct, 8:15am

   Luxon vs Hipkins leaders debate: What once was a ‘crisis’ is now a ‘challenge’ (opens in new tab)

6. Stuff via 1NewsWed 7 Oct, 12:22pm

   The woman in orange became a crowd favourite during the 1News debate (opens in new tab)

   • Forget the Chrises, this woman was the real winner of the debate (opens in new tab) Wed 7 Oct, 12:30pm
   • Words you heard again and again (in fact 116 times!) in leaders debate (opens in new tab) Wed 7 Oct, 1:09pm
   • ‘It’s a bit embarrassing’: The woman in orange who stole the debate explains things (opens in new tab) Wed 7 Oct, 7:11pm