The final question was about how the politicians had calmed the waters and encouraged healthy debate. Shaw said it was about not making it personal and enabling misogyny and racism. Seymour said policy by Act was about problem solving and he agreed there'd been too much bickering on non-important issues. Peters claimed his party had campaigned harder than any other and while referencing Waititi, said parties claiming they were superior were racist. Waititi said being proud of one's whakapapa was not racism and hit back at Seymour and Peters by saying their kōrero was divisive.

Asked whether students should be streamed by ability, Shaw said no because it was arbitrary, Seymour said it was up for teachers and principals to say, Peters said it would be good, Waititi said tamariki should be given a fighting chance through the education system.

On education, Waititi said he would improve it by establishing a Māori education authority. Peters said it was about "stopping indoctrination", reinforcing the basics and making sure kids attended school, Seymour said he would set higher standards for achievement and trust teachers to teach the way they knew best, Shaw said the working conditions of teachers were the learning conditions of students which meant improving ratios was best.

Peters was directed a question, Seymour interrupted by saying he'd had plenty of chances - a reference to how many times Peters had been in government. Peters, without missing a beat, said he'd "have many more".

"We're going straight to a massive recession," Peters said of Act's spending cut policy.

On his public spending plan, Seymour defended it by saying no frontline services like doctors or nurses would be cut.

Waititi believed his tax policy was the most transformative among the leaders presented. 

Seymour said they also wanted income tax relief but funded through cutting Government spending. He said their cuts would see 15,000 public service job cuts.

Peters said investigations should be initiated into the profits made by supermarkets and banks.

Peters said they had changed their previous policy on the issue as they thought the supermarket duopoly would just take it as profits.

Waititi said they wanted to see if cover all food.

Shaw said they wanted to provide income tax relief instead, funded by a wealth tax.

Not one of the candidates agreed National's tax plan was credible, and none agreed with Labour's GST off fruit and vegetables plan.