KEY POINTS:
Prime Minister Helen Clark has made her one public appearance for the day - to launch Labour's election campaign billboards - before she retreats to prepare for tonight's first television leaders' debate.
Tonight's debate is the first in which she will face John Key as National's leader. She said she had been preparing - "and it starts with getting a good sleep last night" and would spend the day boning up on policies.
Asked if she thought the first few days of National's campaign had caught it flat-footed - it seemed to be taken by surprise by Labour's campaign launch announcement that the Government would guarantee bank deposits - she said: "I think the National Party thought it could sleep walk to victory - that is never the case."
She noted campaigns always seemed to take on a life on their own, and believed Labour had shown it was decisive.
She predicted a "photo finish" election, saying the Greens plus Labour's polling figures and National's were now so close together the race had tightened.
She appeared on Upper Queen Street to unveil the billboard, which features the words "Kiwibank, KiwiSaver, KiwiRail - Keep it Kiwi, Vote Labour."
There is no picture of Helen Clark on the billboard, but she said she was confident her face was already on enough of the Party's hoardings around the country.
