If Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern truly believes voting yes in the cannabis referendum is the right thing to do, Greens co-leader Marama Davidson wants her to say so publicly.
On the other side of the political coin, Act leader David Seymour says "probably the most damaging thing" Ardern has donewas "side with the squatters" over Ihumātao.
The statements came in the throes of Newshub's "PowerBrokers" debate last night among the minor parties in Parliament and the Māori Party and in interviews afterwards.
The debate - set to be televised on Saturday morning - faced a last minute court action after Advance New Zealand filed then lost an urgent injunction at the High Court so they could be included.
But the judge ruled against Advance NZ and agreed the criteria to be included in the debate was narrow because the parties present would likely act as king or queenmakers in the next government.
Candidates were needled in a relaxed bar setting by The Nation host Simon Shepherd on various issues facing New Zealand and some quick-fire rounds, including which other parties' MPs they'd like to take.
Greens co-leader Marama Davidson wanted Labour's Nanaia Mahuta, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters would like Labour's David Parker, Act leader David Seymour just wanted more of his own MPs while Māori Party co-leader John Tamihere wouldn't take anyone.
Peters - in his first debate this election - said Cabinet rules wouldn't allow him to say, Tamihere admitted forgetting his wedding anniversary while Seymour said it was his pasodoble on Dancing with the Stars.
"I watched that pasodoble," said Davidson.
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson.
While the debate was mostly relaxed with each leader arguing their policies and positions, there were a few issues which got heated - particularly on Māori issues like Oranga Tamariki and Ihumātao.
Davidson and Tamihere often agreed on a number of positions - particularly against Seymour.
On Ihumātao, Seymour said Ardern "siding with the squatters" was "probably the most damaging" thing in the long term that she had done.
"They're not squatters, they're tangata whenua," said Tamihere.
While Davidson said there was a peaceful resolution which didn't involve a new Treaty negotiation and she was personally proud of the new generation of Māori leaders.
It was pointed out that everyone on stage - except Dallow - was Māori or of Māori descent, including Seymour who is a Ngāpuhi descendant.
Tamihere almost didn't believe Seymour was of Māori descent, saying he wished the Act leader expressed it more often.
Davidson said while someone can have Māori DNA that didn't mean they came from a Māori background, which she said was "transparent" in Seymour's ideology.
While the debate didn't touch on the referendums, Davidson asked later about Ardern's refusal to publicly say how she'd vote on the binding cannabis referendum, which was part of the Greens' confidence and supply agreement with Labour.
The Greens co-leader said she had some sympathy for Ardern as she believes the Prime Minister genuinely thinks she'll have undue influence on people's vote by coming out with her opinion.
But called on her to admit her stance if Ardern plans to vote "yes".
"If she believes that it is genuinely the right thing to do for our country then I think she should say where she stands."
Meanwhile, Tamihere said one of the issues facing the minor parties was how well Ardern had done with the Covid-19 response which had "sucked the oxygen" out of other major issues.
"It's a war-time election, which is very rare," Tamihere said.
"My baby, who is voting in her first election - she's 19 - and I ain't getting two votes. I can't even get two [votes] out of my own daughter."
The debate wrapped up with a quick question on why the public should vote for them.
Davidson said a vote for Greens meant Labour would make better decisions.
Seymour said a vote for Act meant they'd have more MPs to hold the other parties accountable - "the only problem with Act MPs is there's not enough of them", he said.
Tamihere said the Māori Party would seek justice and fairness to break out of the "bottom end".
And Peters said a vote for NZ First was one for common sense and experience.
