Minor parties, leaders debate - 21st September 2023

[Lilith7]

I watched this last night - with, it has to be said, many, many winces at some comments from some of them.

Winston being Winston



https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/earl...es-debate/


"New Zealand First leader Winston Peters, Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, and Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson.   
Rebecca Wright was the moderator and she did a commendable job keeping this lot under control, although it was a challenge and there was plenty of spirited bickering. 
Performance wise Marama and Debbie managed to get their messages across crisply and put on a good double act. Marama in particular was ‘on’ and didn’t take any nonsense.   
David Seymour and Winston Peters in contrast tended to ramble and didn’t always deliver a clear message.   
But there was plenty of fun as well. Especially when Rebecca Wright asked each party for their bottom lines in possible coalition negotiations. While Greens and Te Pati Maori spoke simply —wealth tax and poverty— Winston Peters and David Seymour put on a show over whether they could work together that gave you a glimpse of what Luxon may have to deal with... "  



https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/...-live.html


"8:32pm - Wilson's standout moment was when Peters asked the "adults in the room" to "keep their trousers on" for the sheer oddity of that. 

O'Sullivan said Peters got a punch in with the "cis white man" comment. 

Lynch said there is no possibility Seymour and Peters can work together as they can't agree on anything.

"One of Winston's best jabs at him was he's not baiting he's imitating. It is quite incredible to watch the real-life transformation of David Seymour into a kind of low-rent  Winston Peters when he hates the guy," Lynch said.

Wilson said if the pair try to sit together around the Cabinet table it won't last long.

NZME's Fran O'Sullivan said she wanted Davidson and Ngarewa-Packer to break the "bromance" and debate on points as well. She did praise them for putting their hands up for a wealth tax, which Labour shyed away from.

"The question is can anyone [work with Peters]," Seymour said. "Nobody has been able to."

Davidson when people have something to lose, something they belong to, crime decreases. She wants community support to prevent violence and crime.

Peters said he wants gangs outlawed and wants them locked up separate from the rest of the prison population.

"There are 2000 spare beds in the prisons," he said.

Ngarewa-Packer said Te Pāti Māori believes being tough on crime and soft on poverty is not the way forward. She said we "can't prison our way out of justice" and invest in prevention.



Davidson said Seymour wants to strip away agencies that highlight injustice, while Ngarewa-Packer said the cuts are "clearly about race".

Peters said to get equality we don't need separate "divisive" institutions.

Ngarewa-Packer said wanting a seperate Māori health system and justice system is about trying to lift the playing field. She said the only way to address inequities is by addressing the fact "we were raised in a system not designed for us".

She accused Seymour of baiting with an "anti-Māori rhetoric", to which he denied."