The leaders from New Zealand's minor political parties are facing off in 1News' multi-party debate.
ACT's David Seymour, Te Pāti Māori's Rawiri Waititi, Green Party's James Shaw and NZ First's Winston Peters will debate each other from 7pm tonight.
Minor parties will play a big role this election with neither Labour nor National able to govern alone based on the pre-election poll results.
These live updates have now finished.
8:33pm - What's one thing each leader has done to calm the waters during a heated election period?
Shaw says it’s important as politicians to use language that doesn't trigger racism and misogyny.
Seymour says policy is the solution to problems and that's why his party puts them out instead of bickering about personality.
Peters says he has campaigned more than anyone against racism. He then accused Te Pāti Māori of racism.
Waititi says Peters' accusation is an example of things that have whipped up hate and violence.
8:30pm - What's one policy they want to mention?
Waititi says it's his party's Mana Motuhake policy.
Peters says he wants an enquiry into the COVID-19 lockdowns.
Seymour wants to fix the economy.
Shaw said it was his party's free dental care policy.
8:28pm - If you are part of the next Cabinet what would you do to improve education?
Waititi says he would establish a Māori Education Authority.
Peters says he would stop indoctrination and go back to education. He also plans to crack down on truancy.
Seymour says he would set higher achievement and attendance standards and improve the learning environments.
Shaw would improve working conditions for teachers such as pay and ratio and extend the free lunches programme for students.
8:18pm - The topic is now cost of living. Tame has asked for a quick show of hands for anyone who thinks National's tax plan is credible.
No hands went up.
Does anyone think Labour's plan to remove GST on fresh fruit and vegetables is credible?
No hands.
Tame then questioned Peters and Waititi about why they don't support Labour's policy when they both have similar policies.
Waititi says it’s because his policy removes GST from all food.
Peters says it wasn't his policy. Tame then read out NZ First's policy which says his party will remove GST from a range of foods. Peters hit back saying the party will actually investigate whether it’s feasible.
8:11pm - In this history of MMP have you ever voted for a party you didn't represent?
Waititi says absolutely but wouldn't reveal who and says he would never do it again.
Peters refused to answer.
Seymour says he has only voted for ACT.
Shaw says he's only ever voted for the Green Party.
8:06pm - The topic is now superannuation. The cost of superannuation is rising as we have more people over the age of 65.
Tame asked Peters whether he is living proof people can work beyond 65 years old. Peters says "Well of course" but some people need to retire at 65.
Seymour says his party wants to raise the age of superannuation so the country can afford to properly pay for aged care and healthcare as people live longer and have fewer kids.
Waititi meanwhile wants it lowered for Māori because they die seven to 10 years earlier than everyone else. He says as that gap closes, the age should increase for Māori too.
Shaw wants to leave it the same because the people who need superannuation the most often have a shorter life expectancy.
7:58pm - Seymour and Peters are now defending why their law and order policy is better than each other. Seymour says ACT's is better because it focuses on taking away the proceeds so crime is no longer profitable.
Peters criticized ACT but didn't reveal why his policy was better. He says crime needs to have consequences.
7:55pm - Waititi is being asked whether there is less crime now the prison population has dropped given he wants to abolish prisons.
Waititi says we need a prison system focused on rehabilitation, reintegration and recidivism.
Shaw says being a victim of crime is awful but 200 years of history shows locking people up and throwing away the key doesn't work. He says young people need a sense of community and hope for the future.
7:51pm - The leaders are being asked, 'What causes crime?'
Seymour says ultimately it's "people taking actions that they shouldn’t". He says the government has been too kind to criminals and they're not being kind back.
Waititi and Shaw say poverty.
Peters says "criminal intent". He says he grew up in a poor Māori community and people didn't commit crimes like they are now "at all".
7:45pm - Tame is asking Peters whether he agrees with comments by NZ First candidate Rob Ballantyne who called co-governance a virus and a disease.
Peters says he was talking about the disease of separatism and racism and he is backing Ballantyne 100 percent. Peters says he has a long history of working for and with Māori.
7:38pm - Tame has asked the leaders why non-Māori have better outcomes across the board compared to Māori.
Waititi says it's because the settings of the country have created that. He says the whole system is built around Pakeha ideology.
Peters was asked the same question but ended up in a spat with Waititi who accused him of race-baiting.
Seymour says it's important to put right the wrongs of the past and ensure Māori and non-Māori have the same opportunities. But he said disadvantage needs to be focused on not race.
Shaw says there has never been one rule for all in the country since colonisation and the government needs to work with Māori to ensure Māori communities get the same opportunities.
7:31pm - Seymour has accused Shaw of "failing on climate change while in government".
The comment came after the leaders again clashed about the issue with Shaw telling Seymour, "Everybody gets to say something stupid once in a while but you are really abusing the privilege."
Seymour responded, "You can have all the wisecracks you like, James but you've failed on climate change".
7:25pm - Seymour and Shaw are trading barbs over climate change. Seymour interrupted Shaw to which the Green Party co-leader responded, "David, remember when I asked for your opinion? Neither do I!"
7:22pm - Every leader is asked to finish the sentence climate change is...
Shaw says a risk to humanity and the greatest opportunity in at least a generation to innovate.
Seymour says it's something "we must manage carefully" and do our bit but not put our farmers out of business. He says it’s not an opportunity, it's a cost we must bear in the least expensive way possible.
Peters says "climate change has been with us for millions of years". He says New Zealand can't send ourselves broke while other countries don't do their bits.
Waititi says climate change is a human issue and we need policies that use indigenous knowledge as part of the solution. He says Western science has "got us here".
7:16pm - Is it every okay to lie as a politician? Every leader says no.
7:15pm - Each party is now being asked what is their top priority when negotiating a coalition.
Shaw says it would be climate change and a fairer tax system.
For Seymour it's fixing the economy.
Peters says his key is forming a workable, stable government and restoring democracy to what it once was.
Waititi says it's about ensuring the best outcomes for Māori.
7:11pm - David Seymour has been asked whether he would trust Peters in a coalition. He said no because he doesn't know where Peters stands on anything such as firearms, farmers, zero carbon, co-governance etc. When asked do you trust him?
Seymour said, "Well no".
When asked if Peters trusted Seymour he said it's not his job to trust him, it's up to voters to convince him he's trustworthy.
7:06pm - The debate has begun with each leader explaining what their parties' values are.
Winston Peters says his party's values are about putting New Zealanders first and looking after everyone.
David Seymour says ACT's values are about controlling the economy, cutting government waste and lowering the cost of living.
Rawiri Waititi says Te Pāti Māori is the only tangata whenua party in the race. He says his party will treat Kiwis like "we treat you on our marae".
James Shaw says the Greens' key values are ensuring everyone can pay for rent, has a dry, warm home and food while also dealing with long term issues like climate change.
6:55pm - The debate is about to start.
6:24pm - A National Party supporter has been trespassed for entering the home of a Te Pāti Māori candidate says he's been unfairly accused.
It's claimed Graham Gunn entered Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke's home on Wednesday morning without permission and was asked to leave, before police were called.
But the 74-year-old said he was invited inside and was there to wish her good luck.
Read the full story here.
5:38pm - A Talbot Mills poll, which was commissioned for its corporate clients, shows shows National is up to 38 percent (an increase of two eprcetnage points since the last poll a month ago. Labour meanwhile droped to 27 percent, down three since the last poll.
The poll showed NZ First rising again to 6.4 percent up one from the September poll while the Greens slightly increased to 13 percent. ACT was on nine percent, down one while Te Pāti Māori is on 3.1 percent. The Opportunities Party (Top) are on 2.3 percent.
The poll was of 1027 eligible voters between September 22–28 and has a margin of error of +/- 3 per cent.
Talbot Mills is the company the Labour Party uses for its internal polls.
5:24pm - Police have revealed they don't believe the incidents at Te Pāti Māori candidate Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke's house were racially motivated or coordinated.
olice said investigations are underway into five reports received in relation to a property in Huntly.
It comes after Te Pāti Māori last week said their Hauraki-Waikato candidate's Huntly home had been invaded and vandalised in a "politically-motivated attack". The party said a "threatening letter" was left and said "this escalation of danger is what happens when right-wing politicians race-bait and fearmonger for votes".
On Wednesday night, the party's President John Tamihere said there had been another unlawful entry at Maipi-Clarke's house, this time that morning.
Police Detective Inspector Darrell Harpur said police would be issuing a trespass notice to a Huntly resident after receiving a report at 10:20am on Wednesday. Police said a person entered the property and was subsequently asked to leave.
"Police have established that an election hoarding was stolen from the property on 25 September but note this is in the context of several other hoardings in the area, from a range of political parties, being damaged or defaced.
"This incident has been incorrectly reported as a ram raid – this is more correctly referred to as a theft. At this stage no further line of enquiry is available and this matter has been filed.
"Three other incidents were reported by residents of the property on 25 September.
"Police have followed up on reports of a suspicious vehicle, however at this stage we do not believe this vehicle is linked to any intentions at the property.
"A report of an alleged burglary and receipt of a threatening note. These reports have been investigated and Police have been unable to establish any criminality, although enquiries are ongoing."
Read the full story here.
