Chris Luxon told Canterbury Mornings the photoshopped pictures of him wearing a chicken suit circulating social media, after pulling out of The Press Leader's debate, was "a load of rubbish". 

"Let's be clear, [Chris Hipkins] is isolating in his hotel with Covid, we're ten days from an election and we have a debate next week anyway with TVNZ," the National leader said. 

"We have a busy schedule... you know what the last ten days of an election campaigning are like." 

Although he's across the country pushing his party's agenda - Luxon doesn't plan to bring his National Party campaign bus to the South Island. 

"It would take too long to bring across the ferry."   

LISTEN ABOVE