New Zealand First leader Winston Peters. Photo / NZH
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters. Photo / NZH
Political foes Winston Peters and David Seymour are set to go head-to-head and defend their economics plans.
The leaders of New Zealand First and Act will be joined by representatives of the other parties in Parliament at Business North Harbour 2020 Pre-election Luncheon at midday.
Economic Development Minister Phil Twyford will represent Labour alongside National's finance spokesman Paul Goldsmith and Chlöe Swarbrick for the Green Party.
Each candidate will be given six minutes to outline their economic policies - in particular how they plan to support small- and medium-sized businesses over the next three years.
The statements will be followed by a Q&A from attendees, who will have pre-submitted questions.
The luncheon will be hosted by Newshub anchor Mike McRoberts and will run between 12 noon and 2pm.
Act is set to unveil its small-business policy this afternoon while National has already released its promises and has committed to allowing Kiwis wanting to start a business being allowed access to up to $20,000 from their KiwiSaver.
Meanwhile, Labour has promised to extend the small-business cash-flow scheme for another three years, pour more government money into tailored business advice and make changes to small-business tax schemes.
It would also crackdown on the amount of money businesses pay for contactless payment services, which cost Kiwi businesses two or three times as much as the same services in the UK and Australia.
The luncheon will also see Seymour and Peters take the stage together ahead of Newshub's "power brokers" debate this evening.
The pair have a long history of run-ins, with Peters this year challenging Seymour to a fist-fight and Seymour firing back: "He spends enough time in the hospital without my intervention," Seymour said.
"If his punches are as empty as his political promises, I've got nothing to worry about."
