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Last night'sÌýleaders'Ìýdebate was vastly more entertaining than the first one.ÌýÌý

WasÌýit a debate?ÌýWell, Sister Philippa, my old debating coach at Sacred Heart Girls College,Ìýwouldn'tÌýhave seen it as a debate per say.ÌýI think itÌýwas more of a bit of infotainment. Ìý

Chris Hipkins, the leader of Labour, showed up and heaven knows we love a politician who shows up. HeÌýnoÌýlonger looked like a dead man walking likeÌýin the first debate. He looked like heÌýdidn'tÌýcare, was overÌýit,Ìýwas going through the motions. Last night he looked more like someoneÌýwho'sÌýwoken up to the fact he needs to fight for his political skin. Ìý

Christopher Luxon got caughtÌýa few times on not specifically answering questions and resorting to slogans but seemed composed despite the increased intensity of the setÌýto. And IÌýthinkÌýtheÌýquicknessÌýwill come with more time in the HouseÌýand the ability to be ableÌýto answer on your feet. Ìý

Paddy Gower got in a couple of zingers. When Christopher Luxon said heÌýdidn'tÌýknow Winston Peters, PaddyÌýGower wasÌýquite right in sayingÌýit'sÌýWinston Peters, whoÌýdoesn'tÌýknow Winston Peters?!ÌýÌý

SoÌýultimately itÌýwas more energetic,Ìýmore peppy. But did it change anything for you? Give you any information youÌýdidn'tÌýknow before?ÌýGive you an insight into the leaders of the parties that youÌýdidn'tÌýhave before last night?ÌýÌý

Apparently,ÌýtheseÌýsorts of debates help to get non-voters engaged and into the voting booths, but God help us if our election is decided by people who watchÌý90 minutesÌýof television infotainment and base their votes on that. Ìý

Interesting though, that in both debates policies seem to be made-up on the fly by both leaders.ÌýWe'reÌýbanning fizzy drinks in secondary schools in the first debateÌý-that seemed to come out of nowhere. I mean well. Fizzy drinks are banned in primary schools, but Chris HipkinsÌýwas likeÌýright,Ìýwe'reÌýgoing to ban them in secondary schools as well. Ìý

Both leaders said they would lower the age forÌýbowelÌýcancer screening in this last night's debate, whichÌýyou know,Ìýboth worthwhile.ÌýDon'tÌýget me wrong, both worthwhile. But I do find it a wee bit alarming that politicians can just whip a policy out of theirÌýkerchief pocketÌýwithout Select Committee,ÌýconsultationÌýand the like,Ìýas infotainment. Ìý

Fine. IÌýcan'tÌýimagine the sort of people that I talk toÌýon a daily basisÌýon this show, IÌýcan'tÌýimagine people thinking, uh, you know what, because of that zingy one liner or becauseÌýthey looked moreÌýenergetic, I'mÌýgoing to change my vote fromÌýNational to Labour or Labour toÌýNational. I justÌýcan'tÌýsee that happening. Ìý

It may have confirmedÌýpeople's decisions to look at the minor parties. They might have looked at both leaders and thoughtÌý‘IÌýneed more than this.’ÌýÌý