Te Ururoa Flavell (Maori): NRL grand final - but only if the Bulldogs are playing in it.
Jonathan Coleman (National, contributing in his capacity as Minister for Sport and Recreation): It would have to be either the 1936 Berlin Olympics where Jack Lovelock won gold or the final test of the 1956 Springbok tour at Eden Park where Peter Jones scored the try to seal our first series win over South Africa.
Peter Dunne (United Future): The most recent America's Cup final in Bermuda.
Clayton Mitchell (NZ First): I'd love to go back to the Rumble in the Jungle, 1974 in Zaire. Muhammad Ali v George Foreman.
2. How, if at all, does sport build national identity?
Labour: Sport is one of the last places where we share heroes and have an almost unbelievable loyalty. It involves performance whether at kids' or elite level. But don't forget the arts are similar.
Greens: Sport brings people together over a common cause, and it celebrates the value of working together as a team.
ACT: We get past our differences to celebrate common victories, and peacefully indulge rivalries. We witnessed this during the Lions tour, and also the Rugby World Cup, when ACT allowed bars to open for early games, and predictions of chaos fell flat.
Maori: Sport has the unique ability to unite the nation. Whether it is getting up early to watch an All Blacks test on the other side of the world, cheering on our athletes at the Olympics, donning red socks to support our America's Cup sailors, or backing our sports-people as they take on the world, we come together to share their highs and lows.
National: Just look at the silver fern - a symbol we all relate to, one iconically New Zealand and synonymous with our sporting success. Sport is also at the core of our culture, and our elite teams and athletes continue to stamp New Zealand's mark on the world.
United Future: It brings the nation together and forges universal national pride when our teams participate in sporting events at all levels.
NZ First: Sport is part of our culture and plays a major role in uniting all New Zealanders. Sport definitely builds national identity.
3. Is it more important to invest in grassroots or elite sport?
Labour: The balance of funding has gone too far in favour of elite sport. Medals are important, but exercise and participation are more so. School and grassroots support, especially for coaching, needs a real boost.
Greens: Grassroots. Sport should be for everyone. Elite sport usually funds itself. We'd like to see more money spent helping kids who can't afford club sports fees.
ACT: Grassroots. ACT is opposed to taxpayer money subsidising professional sports, which should stand on their own feet.
Maori: Without investment in grassroots sport, we have no elite athletes. Without elite sport, we have no role models for our young to aspire to emulate. Both are worthy of investment.
National: Both. You can't have one without the other, but they also drive different outcomes - we want to help our elite athletes perform at their best, but it's also important to get New Zealanders active to improve the wellbeing of our nation and bring communities together.
United Future: Grassroots, because that is where elite sport draws its sportsmen and women.
NZ First: Both grassroots and elite sport play an equal and significant part - not one without the other. Elite sports is used to promote, encourage and inspire young people to participate and grassroots is needed to train, educate and encourage good discipline and healthy living.
4. How, if at all, would you develop the natural environment to enable more New Zealanders to access outdoor activities?
Labour: There should be a levy on foreign visitors to help pay for major events, tourism infrastructure and improved conservation.
Greens: We'll beef up funding for the protection and enhancement of our natural environment, so Kiwis can enjoy the great outdoors for decades to come. That means better maintained walking tracks, huts and cycleways, and rivers and lakes you can swim in without getting sick.
ACT: ACT would sell Landcorp and use the proceeds to fund community groups who want to set up publicly-accessible conservation sanctuaries.
Maori: The natural environment should remain just that - natural. But we welcome an enhancement of the network of walking tracks and cycle trails to provide more options for people to experience the great outdoors.
National: Keep up the good work that's enabling New Zealanders to make the most of great outdoors. Across Government there's a lot going on, including $450 million of funding to improve lakes and rivers, and the development and management of national parks and walkways by the department of conservation.
United Future: Increase investment in our conservation estate to enable greater access and use of New Zealand's unique natural environment.
NZ First: More resourcing is required for the Department of Conservation to ensure huts and tracks are fit for purpose and readily available. Rivers and streams need to be cleaned up and protected so all New Zealanders and visitors can enjoy our great outdoors.
5. How should the America's Cup be funded?
Labour: Mainly by the private sector through sponsorship, but I believe there is a place for the Government to be a partner in order to capture the massive leverage opportunities.
Greens: We will use the next America's Cup to fast-track the building of a light rail route from the city to the airport, in time for the first race in 2021. Hosting major sports events can help revitalise city areas, like Auckland's Viaduct for the 2000 and 2003 regattas. The regatta itself should not be publicly funded unless there's a convincing business case.
ACT: ACT opposes taxpayer funding for the America's Cup regatta. Emirates Team New Zealand and the America's Cup brand have done well attracting private investment previously and we can expect this to continue.
Maori: We support central and local government funding the hosting of the next America's Cup, but urge them not to do so at the expense of our most vulnerable. When all the superyachts are in port, the jet set have jetted in, and the millions of dollars are floating around the America's Cup - wouldn't it be nice to say our most vulnerable were also looked after?
National: Team New Zealand is a private entity and the America's Cup is a significant commercial operation. However, the Government is investing
$5 million to help keep the team together and may provide other forms of support to ensure the event is successful, as we have with other major events such as the recent Lions series.
United Future: Through a partnership between private, local government and central Government.
NZ First: This was a fantastic achievement that will have a positive social and economic impact on New Zealand. A joint partnership between the private sector and the Government needs to be considered.
6. Should High Performance Sport New Zealand and Sport New Zealand be separate or combined entities?
Labour: Combined.
Greens: Sports spending needs to be reviewed, because at the moment we have double-ups and crossover between these boards. These entities are burning through a lot of public money that needs to be better focused on our athletes, both at a community level and with our elite athletes.
ACT: Sport New Zealand and High Performance Sport New Zealand have become bureaucratic wonderlands with sky-high administrator and manager salaries. If taxpayers' money is used to fund sports, it's better to have one lean administration with more money going directly to players, coaches and grassroots organisations.
Maori: The current arrangement appears to be working well, so should be retained.
National: The arrangement works well. HPSNZ became a subsidiary of Sport NZ in 2011 to focus on preparing athletes to win on the world stage, with Sport NZ providing shared services. Since then, we have grown our medal count at every Olympic Games - from nine in 2008 to 18 in 2016.
United Future: Combined.
NZ First: If it's not broken, why fix it?
7. What is the best way to ensure a retention of participation numbers from primary school to secondary school and beyond?
Labour: By encouraging sports clubs to be more involved in school sport, especially coaching, and examining the reintroduction of midweek afternoon sport for interschool competition.
Greens: Sports need to be open to all kids, regardless of their parents' financial circumstances, and should be built into the curriculum. There needs to be attention paid so girls' participation in sport grows by having more media representation of high-achieving female role models, and that organisations actively support more women to be coaches and managers.
ACT: The Government shouldn't pressure children into participation. If a child drops out of a sport because they lack skill or are not enjoying it, that's a good thing. It frees up the student's time and energy for pursuits that better match their skills and interests.
Maori: The key to retaining participation in sport is enjoyment. If kids or youth don't enjoy what they're doing, they'll stop doing it. Coaches and volunteers play a vital role in fostering the right environment where young sportspeople can achieve, but more importantly take delight in the opportunities sport provides.
National: We need to give kids access to quality sport and recreation, whether that's at school, home or through clubs or other providers. If we do that, and they are given the time and opportunities to find the types of physical activity that are right for them, they're more likely to stay active.
United Future:
A less rigid application of the more absurd health and safety rules.
NZ First:
New Zealand First advocates for live and free to air national games of significance so that young people can be inspired to take up sport and remain active for life.
8. Should Prime Ministers be granted automatic entrance to the All Blacks changing sheds?
Labour: Only after the Wainuiomata prems have put them through half a dozen rucks, and they are still able to walk.
Greens: No one should be given automatic entrance, it's up to the All Blacks to decide who they let into their dressing room. If politicians are invited in, I would hope it is done fairly and in a non-party political way. The All Blacks have far greater support than any political party or leader.
ACT: Only if their Super Rugby form warrants it.
Maori: It should be the decision of team management as to who can and can't access changing rooms.
National: I can't think of too many fans who would turn down the opportunity, but ultimately the decision is up to All Black management.
United Future: Yes, if the Prime Minister is invited by the team.
NZ First: No. This should be by invitation from the coach, captain and team.
9. What future do you see for gaming machine trusts?
Labour: I think pokie trusts will have a slowly reducing role in funding community activities.
Greens: They are not a sustainable way to fund community sport long-term. The link between gambling and the funding of community activities provides a 'moral' justification for gambling harm, and that isn't a good message to be sending.
ACT: ACT supports the freedom for adults to use gaming machines, which has the positive side-effect of producing income for grassroots sports.
Maori: We want pokie machines to be given the boot, and with it the reliance of sporting organisations on their proceeds. We would like to see this source of funding phased out, but only once replacement funding arrangements are in place.
National: These trusts are a key source of funding for sport and recreation, and an important means through which gaming revenue can be distributed to New Zealand communities. The Government is currently reviewing the regulatory framework around gaming machines, with the primary objective being the long-term sustainability of funding to communities.
United Future: A sustainable one, which is why, as Minister of Internal Affairs I am undertaking a comprehensive review of the class 4 gaming sector of which these trusts are a part.
NZ First: Class 4 gaming plays a significant role in funding sport in New Zealand with up to $300 million every year returned to our communities. Regulations are needed to minimise harm in relation to problem gambling. Attention needs to be given to casinos that return only a fraction of a percent to their communities and are not regulated in the same way as trusts.
10. How much exercise should New Zealanders be doing on a weekly basis?
Labour: Five hours a week with heavy breathing every day.
Greens: As much as they can fit in. People are busy with work, family and friends, and exercise can sometimes take a back seat. I find biking and walking to work is a good way I can get exercise into my daily routine. If we had more protected cycleways around our towns and cities, more people would see that as a realistic option.
ACT: Push play 30 minutes a day but, if they'd prefer to stay on the couch, ACT also supports their freedom to do that.
Maori: As much as they can. It is important to me to stay fit - I work out on a regular basis. Physical wellbeing aids mental and spiritual health, and you need to be healthy to be at your best.
National: The more, the better. The Ministry of Health recommends at least 2.5 hours of moderate or 1.5 hours of vigorous physical activity spread throughout the week.
United Future: Much more than they are currently doing.
NZ First: The Ministry of Health recommends adults do at least 2.5 hours of moderate or 1.25 hours of vigorous physical activity throughout the week. Older adults should participate in 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on five days or more per week. I would suggest much more is required for a healthy society. Choose to walk upstairs, ride to the shops and play social sports.
*The parties are listed in order of response. Answers were requested to be 50 words or less.
