Divisive surgeries debate alarms New Zealand deputy PM

"We're trying to make decisions based on the evidence in front of us," Carmel Sepuloni says. (Ben McKay/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

The tone of New Zealand's political debate has echoes of the country's most divisive election in recent memory - the infamous 2005 campaign, Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni says.

Parliament descended into farce this week, with Greens leader Marama Davidson ejected during a debate on ethnicity being used as a factor to determine when New Zealanders receive surgeries.