KEY POINTS:
Two of the country's biggest political foes came with 50 metres of each other on the campaign trail in Tauranga yesterday, but were careful to avoid getting any closer.
National leader John Key and New Zealand First leader Winston Peters were in the city trying to gain votes in the hotly contested seat when their paths almost crossed.
Mr Key had just given a speech to a crowd of about 300 in the CBD's Red Square and was heading up the main street when Mr Peters appeared and began greeting people at cafes.
Mr Peters then sat down at one of the cafes in the square, and when Mr Key returned and became aware of his presence, he was careful to head in the opposite direction.
Mr Key has ruled out working with Mr Peters in a coalition government in the wake of the donations scandal involving New Zealand First.
Mr Peters has responded by saying his party's standards are "not that low" and calling Mr Key "a raging hypocrite" because, he said, National had received millions in donations from secret trusts.
Yesterday, Mr Peters also attacked National's newly unveiled policy on violent criminals, saying it was "shallow" and "kneejerk".
National has promised to abolish parole for the worst repeat violent offenders, but Mr Peters told the Herald the party had not explained how it would pay for the extra prisons required, or mentioned rehabilitation programmes for such offenders.
"If you do not intend to have any rehabilitative aspect ... then you may as well never let them out because you're letting out animals," he said.
Mr Key told the Herald that dealing with recidivist violent criminals was a balancing act between rehabilitation and protecting the community, and he favoured protecting the community.
He said such offenders would be supervised when they left prison, and National had broader plans to extend literacy and numeracy, work, and drug and alcohol programmes in prisons.
"We're totally in favour of rehabilitation, but if someone's going to be a repeat offender at the very violent end, we've just got to protect New Zealanders from that risk."
Mr Key had begun his speech at the public rally by talking about the policy, and drew applause when he said that a life sentence would mean life for anyone previously convicted of a violent crime and sentenced to five years or more in prison.
He repeated earlier promises of a second round of tax cuts on April 1 and a reduction in bureaucrats in Wellington, saying money would be spent on more doctors, nurses and teachers.
The majority of people who braved steady rain to listen to the lunchtime speech appeared to support Mr Key, including Roger Cherry, 42, who said he endorsed the parole plan because he wanted better law and order.
Mr Peters is also giving a campaign speech in Red Square on Friday, as is his election year tradition, and said he expected a bigger crowd than Mr Key.
