Peters comes out firing in debate

Winston Peters was only ever going to get one shot at making the comeback to beat all comebacks.

That shot came last night last night during TV One's Minor Party leaders debate.

And Peters did not waste it.

There was nothing new in the Peters formula - anti-establishment, anti-big business, and anti the two big parties, Labour and National.

The missing ingredient had been the added spice of a conspiracy theory - till  the "tea pot tape" saga landed in his lap this week. After Prime Minister John Key turned his back on questions about releasing the tape earlier in the day, the stage was set for a typically outrageous upping of the stakes.

Be a "real bloke" and release the tape, demanded the man who once spent months refusing to give a straight answer to questions over campaign donors.

It was just like old times.

While Peters worked one side of the studio audience in the ad breaks, the only leader to give him a run for his money in the debate, Hone Harawira, worked the other.

And as the debate wore on he looked increasingly like the leader the Maori Party might already be wishing it hadn't lost. He may be a firebrand and a rebel but with his departure, the passion the Maori Party was founded on went with him.

For the rest, Green Party co-leader Russel Norman remained steadfastly "on message" as he tried desperately not to break the formula which has seen his party rise in the polls by appearing a more moderate force.

United leader Peter Dunne took common sense to new heights by favouring an electoral review which might ultimately put paid to the sort of electoral accommodations that returned him to Parliament last time.

Turia continued on her path toward becoming kuia of the nation - a remarkable achievement for a woman who once polarised middle New Zealand.

And ACT leader Don Brash struggled to avoid looking hapless - a task which has looked increasingly hopeless as his new party does its level best to kneecap him.