Audrey Young: The TV3 debate

Bill English's strongest television appearance yet. He was less tense and less aggressive than before. By last night he probably knew there was nothing he could do to rescue National.

It was a sharper, quicker more natural performance.

He forced Helen Clark to finally talk about the possible sale of Air New Zealand. She promised that the Government would retain a majority shareholding.

He homed in on her post-election scenario: governing for 18 months with Green support then shopping around for someone to prevent another election.

"That's stable Government," he mocked.

Clark gave comprehensive answers to health and social welfare questions, painting the big picture of her goals as a distributive Government.

Points win to English for making a couple of dents against a tough-as-titanium leader.

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