Election 2020: The surprising leaders' debate promises made by Labour leader Jacinda Ardern and National leader Judith Collins

National leader Judith Collins and Labour leader Jacinda Ardern had their second leaders' debate last night. Photo / file

Last night's leaders' debate extracted some surprising commitments - including changing the law to get back wage subsidy money from some big companies (Judith Collins), reviewing Pharmac (both leaders) and moving to free sanitary products for all women and girls (Jacinda Ardern).

Below are the promises and near-promises made href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12369370" target="_blank">during the MediaWorks debate.

• Changing the law to get back the wage subsidy

The leaders were asked whether they'd seek to get back money from big companies that took the wage subsidy, then laid off workers and are now posting large profits.

"I will, actually," Collins said. "We may have to change a law, I would have thought we would have a lot of support in Parliament to do that."

Ardern condemned such companies, but wouldn't commit to changing the law to get money back. "But, we are also pursuing those who may have acted outside the law. It's a moral issue - some of these companies followed the rules, they just didn't follow the spirit of fairness."

• Wanting house prices to fall

Ardern said she didn't want them to keep escalating. Pressed, she said, "I want them to stabilise".

Collins said "in some cases they are going to have to go down", but people with big mortgages didn't want to see their property's worth fall.

• A funded methamphetamine programme for Feilding

The leaders were asked about the methamphetamine crisis, using the example of Feilding as a town that was being hit hard.

Asked if Fielding would get a funded meth programme if she were Prime Minister, Collins said, "they will have it available to them, in Palmerston North".

Ardern said addiction services had to be available nationwide: "Fielding has to be able to access that, and so does everyone everywhere else in the country".

• Compulsory te reo Māori in schools

Ardern said getting enough teachers was the first step and "I think we will move to that over time".

"I want every child to learn, it should be in every school."

Collins said it shouldn't be compulsory, but was important.

"It is something New Zealand is coming to."

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• Reviewing Pharmac

Collins and Ardern committed to an investigation into how the country's drug-buying agency, Pharmac, operates.

• Scrapping the gun register

Collins said National would scrap the gun register - introduced after the Christchurch mosque murders - as it had already failed "and is quite clearly impossible".

• A four-year Parliamentary term

Both leaders said they supported increasing the three-year parliamentary term to four years.

"We might be able to do that," Ardern said, somewhat surprised and looking towards her rival.

Afterwards, Collins told media such a step would probably have to go to a referendum.

• Fully subsidising sanitary products for every woman and girl in New Zealand

"Actually, yes, I think we should," said Ardern. "At the moment [free products in] schools, and from there I would happily look at ways we can make it more available."

Collins said free products should be provided through schools, but she didn't want to subsidise big companies by going further.

• Gender neutral bathrooms in every school

Ardern and Collins said schools should have at least one gender neutral bathroom.

• A wide-ranging, independent investigation or inquiry into Gloriavale

Collins committed to an inquiry, saying of recent reports about life in the West Coast religious community, "I just think it sounds really weird".

Ardern wouldn't commit to such a step.

• A statue of Kate Sheppard at Parliament

Both leaders backed a statue of suffragette Kate Sheppard at Parliament - and Ardern revealed plans were already under way.