Don Brash explains National's tax policy to workers at Fresh To Go in Penrose. He doesn't think it's a good look for adults to shout and scream at each other. Picture / Glenn Jeffrey

Don Brash explains National's tax policy to workers at Fresh To Go in Penrose. He doesn't think it's a good look for adults to shout and scream at each other. Picture / Glenn Jeffrey

Patronising and sexist or a courteous gentleman?

National leader Don Brash's comment that he went easy on Prime Minister Helen Clark during TV One's leaders debate on Monday night because she was a woman has caused a stir.

What Dr Brash said after the debate in which Helen Clark dominated was: "I think it is not entirely appropriate for a man to aggressively attack a woman and I restrained myself for that reason. Had the other combatant been a man, my style might have been rather different."

Helen Clark wasted no time in saying it was just Dr Brash's excuse for losing the debate.

"I think it's just an unfortunate comment. I've grown up in a New Zealand where girls can do anything, and we do do anything and we expect to be treated as equals."

Dr Brash tried to backtrack, saying he had merely wanted to avoid shouting at Helen Clark.

"I don't think it's a good look for adults to shout and scream at each other. Particularly a bad look for men to be shouting at women. I think it gives a very bad example and I'm not interested in doing that."

Dr Brash said it was not sexist to oppose being abusive to women.

"On the contrary, I think it's basic elementary courtesy."

Auckland Debating Association president Wayne McDougall said Dr Brash should have been concentrating on rebutting Helen Clark's arguments, not on her gender.

Mr McDougall said it would not have made any difference had Helen Clark been a man - she was the superior debater and shut him out.

Green MP Metiria Turei said Dr Brash's comment were "utterly pathetically sexist".

"There is no way this guy could be our Prime Minister. He is an absolute outrage. He is ridiculously 19th century."

Act leader Rodney Hide said he did not think of Helen Clark as a woman, but as a tough political opponent.

"The Prime Minister didn't get to the top of the Labour Party and hold her position within the party by being ladylike. She is a tough, hardened political operator and the reality is Don Brash is a gentleman."

Dr Brash did his best to shrug off his remarks yesterday and spent the day touring small South Auckland factories and businesses where he and his tax cuts were generally well received.

The media and some of Dr Brash's staff were prevented from joining him when he addressed workers at the Fresh To Go food processing plant in Penrose - his first port of call - because of "sterility" requirements.