The pair faced off in a debate earlier this month.
Nicola Willis clashed with Labour counterpart Barbara Edmonds on debt management as the pair faced off in a debate earlier this month.
Speaking at Beyond the Ballot 2026, an election debate on the economy, finance and business policy co-hosted by MYOB and NZME, Willis spoke passionately about the importance of keeping debt down so the next generation isn’t left “with debt that cripples the country”.
“Which is why you should never borrow for tax cuts,” Edmonds shot back, to laughter from the audience of business leaders and SME owners in the room.
“We did not,” said Willis. “We delivered every single dollar of that tax reduction by actually doing what we intend to keep doing, which was stripping inefficiency and cost out of the public service.”
Watch the full exchange in the video below.