The debate got off to a slow start and came with less energy than minor debates of the past, with the politicians appearing to at times speak directly to their voter bases by outlining party policy - with less effort spent attacking and talking over each other.
Ferris, the only representative who hasn’t been in Parliament, impressed with impassioned speeches outlining his party’s “unapologetic” approach to advocating for Māori.
The debate also at times appeared to show a further softening between Peters and Seymour, compared with previous encounters. Peters jumped to Seymour’s defence when he was called “Treaty-illiterate” by Ferris, to which he interjected “you are”.
However, Seymour did repeat he felt Peters was the “least-trustworthy politician”, adding he would respect the outcome of the election but the preference was to work with National only.
Peters said people were “panicking” and “scaremongering” after National warned there could be a second election. He said he could confirm it would not happen.
“Stop it now and relax,” he said.
Several climate change protesters were ejected out of the audience after calling out Seymour and unveiling a “Restore Passenger Rail” banner.
The debate saw tension between the parties over wealth creation and its distribution.
Seymour hit out at both Ferris and Davidson over their parties’ wealth tax proposals, labelling them “vilification”.
Peters called it “voodoo economics” saying they had plenty of ideas about how to spend money but not how to generate finances.
The NZ First leader, full of his usual one-liners, also branded it as a “pinko, communist-style approach” saying the parties had “1000 ways to spend money not one way of making it”.
Ferris said New Zealand was one of the wealthiest countries in the world and had plenty of wealth to share around but the problem was distribution.
Davidson, who had plenty of supporters in the audience, received the loudest cheer of the evening when discussing her party’s wealth tax plans
Ferris appeared to gain support through the evening, shining in the line-up with passionate responses rooted in his party’s advocacy for Māori.
On addressing youth crime and responses from National, Act and NZ First, he said they could not “incarcerate your way” out of the issue. He also called out the disproportionate impact it would have on Māori.
“Anyone who thinks ramping up the prisons … is out of their minds.
“All we need is for people in power to stop bashing us,” he said to loud cheers.
The most tense point of the night came with questions about the current conflict in Israel and Palestine, after a horrific attack by Hamas followed by heavy retaliation from Israel.
The panel was asked if Hamas, a political and militant organisation that controls the Gaza Strip, should be designated a terrorist organisation.
Peters, a former foreign minister, said he wanted more evidence but it “seems where we are going”.
He said there had always been agreement across the political divide here in the two-state solution but the attack by Hamas had clearly broken the “rules of engagement”.
Davidson said the loss of life was “completely unacceptable” - calling out Hamas and the Israel Defence Force.
She said all have the “right to security and life”.
She said any designation needed to be applied equally to all terrorist acts, saying the IDF had caused “decades of violence”.
“Children in Gaza are being flattened right now and that is completely unacceptable.”
Seymour said he agreed with the designation and thought New Zealand’s international response so far had been weak and wanted the country to stand more with “traditional allies”.
Not only Israelis but Palestinians were suffering under Hamas, he said.
The night was not without humour and most of it involved the known showman Peters.
At one point Peters said he agreed with the need for a Māori prison reduction target, before regaling a familiar speech about growing up in a poor Māori community and why values were important for reducing crime.
As Ferris interrupted, Peters responded: “Give me a break, where were you?”
“I wasn’t born then,” responded Ferris, which even earnt a chuckle from “matua” Winston.
There was also some heat in the debate around the Māori Health Authority and co-governance. All four candidates whakapapa Māori.
Seymour repeated his familiar party lines that he thought the key was not to “lazily” divide people based on race and rather need, earning good applause from the crowd.
Ferris interrupted, saying those conflating these issues with race are “deliberately displacing the Treaty of Waitangi”, earning an even louder round of applause.
