Tonight's 1News Multi-Party Debate live on 1News.co.nz, TVNZ1 and TVNZ+ will put the kingmakers on the spot about the issues they could be bringing to the negotiating table in two weeks' time.
Live from 7pm on Thursday, the debate will be TVNZ's first that focuses on smaller parties and the issues they've been pressing hard on during the campaign.
The candidates appearing on behalf of their parties are:
- David Seymour - ACT Party
- James Shaw - Green Party
- Rawiri Waititi - Te Pāti Māori
- Winston Peters - New Zealand First
Hosted by Q+A host Jack Tame, tonight's multi-party debate will be live-streamed on 1News.co.nz and broadcast on TVNZ 1.
A live panel will break down the party leaders' comments after the debate.
Support for the two big parties is at a low, with their coalition support partners now more crucial than ever.
According to the last 1News Verian poll, around 40% of Kiwis will vote for a party that isn't Labour or National. Those smaller parties will help determine the form of the next government in post-election negotiations.
If it had the numbers, Labour has indicated it would likely try to form a coalition with the Green Party and Te Pāti Māori.
National has said it would prefer governing with the ACT Party, but that it would also talk to New Zealand First if there was no other option to reach a majority after an election.
Labour has ruled out working with New Zealand First, while National has indicated it's highly unlikely to work with the Green Party or Te Pāti Māori during governing negotiations.
Tonight's debate comes days after early voting began. So far, tens of thousands of Kiwis have already made their votes.
The first votes were cast last week when overseas and telephone dictation balloting started.
Meanwhile next week, the second and final Leaders' Debate with Chris Hipkins and Christopher Luxon airs, just two days before polling day, on October 12 — led by 1News Political Editor Jessica Mutch McKay.
It's currently a week-and-a-half until election day.
TVNZ's criteria for inclusion in the Multi-Party Debate
- The leaders of registered parties are currently represented in Parliament.
- The leaders of registered parties not represented in Parliament score 3% in at least one 1News Verian poll in the six months prior to the debate.
- The leaders of registered parties where the leader has been an MP, or the party has been represented, in either or both of the past two Parliaments.
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