Leaders debate: Luxon, Hipkins fire up over cost of living, trust, racism

<p>Christopher Luxon and Chris Hipkins have clashed over trustworthiness, racism and the cost of living in a fiery TVNZ leaders' debate, with a panel of undecided voters backing the Labour leader more than the National leader.</p> <p><b></b><a href="https://www.tvnz.co.nz/player/newsclip/the-standout-moments-from-luxon-and-hipkins-fiery-leaders-debate" target="_blank"><b>The standout moments from Luxon and Hipkins’ fiery leaders debate - Watch on TVNZ+</b></a><b></b></p> <p>However it was hardly an outright win for the opposition leader, himself a former PM.</p> <p>At the end of last night's 90-minute 1News Leaders Debate, 49% of the panel said Hipkins had won their vote, compared with 24% for Luxon. Another 27% remained undecided.</p> <p>When asked during the debate who had performed best so far, about two-thirds of the panel picked Hipkins early on. That narrowed to 56% to 44% at the halfway mark.</p> <p>The panel of nearly 100 voters was split roughly evenly between people who backed right and left-bloc parties at the last election.