Jacinda Ardern has called for more action on climate change during the first televised debate before the New Zealand election on 17 October.
Facing off against National leader Judith Collins, Ms Ardern was asked for an example of what her daughter, Neve Te Aroha, will be grateful for in the coming decades.
"I'd say one of the biggest challenges we will face as a country is the fact that climate change is upon us, and we have to prepare our country for that," she said. "One of the projects we're investing in, looking into pumped hydro, will mean New Zealand will be able to become 100 per cent renewably-charged by our electricity network. What a difference that will make."
Ms Ardern said people have to think about how climate change will impact future generations.
"We have to be realistic about the challenges we face. We have to be both realistic and hopeful. We have to think about what it is going to be like for our kids. Climate change is upon us. We have to grasp this opportunity, use it to create jobs, but also invest in the problems we already had. Inequality - let's put food in schools. Housing - let's build more public housing. That's the plan."
Ms Collins criticised the Labour leader's words as "nonsense".
During the debate, Ms Ardern and Ms Collins faced off over a range of other issues including tax cuts, borders, inequality and farmers.
The centre-right National party is promising a temporary tax cut worth around $AU2770 to average full-time wage earners.
Ms Ardern, promising a mild tax raise to the top two per cent of Kiwi income earners, said she "shouldn't get a tax cut right now".
"Now is not the time to have huge uncertainty around tax policy," she said.
Ms Ardern closed the debate with her central pledge for stability during the pandemic.
"It's been a really tough time for New Zealand. We have had a terrorist attack, a natural disaster and a global pandemic," she said.
"We have been able to clear those hurdles and face huge challenges because of who we are.
"We have a plan and it's already making a difference."
Ms Collins, who has led the National party for just over two months, claimed victory at the debate's end.
"I certainly didn't feel like I was losing," she said.
A TVNZ poll put Labour on 48 per cent and National on 31 per cent, which if replicated on election day, would allow Ms Ardern to be the first modern-day leader to govern without the support of minority parties.
Additional reporting by AAP.
