Clark hits back over abuse during debate

Helen Clark

Prime Minister Helen Clark says she did not raise the issue of personal attacks on her during TVNZ's leaders' debate as a play for sympathy.

She told the Sunday Star-Times that she was called a "no-kids lesbo", a "scrubber" and a liar during the debate two weeks ago - a point verified by Labour supporters in the audience but denied by National supporters.

"I think we've got to see the funny side of this," Clark said.

"Dr Brash can't win a debate, but he's quite happy to bring a mob of hooligans in to shout abuse at me. This is no gentleman, this is a hypocrite."

She said her comments were not a ploy for sympathy.

"I won the debate, I'm very happy. What I say is he can't win a debate so he brings a chanting mob in with foul-mouthed abuse, to try and shout the Prime Minister down. That's a pretty dubious tactic."

Young Labour president Conor Roberts, who was in the audience, said taunts came from National supporters after the first question.

"It seemed their tactic was to shout down Helen Clark. Helen really had to raise her voice."

"We did give it back but not to the point where we were making fun of Don Brash, or anything like that."

He said at one point, he noticed Don Brash making gestures for his supporters to calm down.

Labour's East Coast Bays candidate, Hamish McCracken, said he did not hear the term "lesbo" used, but the jeer, "how would you know? You've got no kids", was used when Clark mentioned families.