Showing the challenge facing National leader Chris Luxon after the New Zealand election, leaders of his likely coalition partners have bickered through a nationally televised debate.
Winston Peters, leader of the resurgent New Zealand First party, and David Seymour, of right-wing libertarians ACT, clashed throughout TVNZ's Multi-Party Debate on Thursday night.
Polls put National on track to end six years of Labour-led government at the October 14 election but it will need to work with both NZ First and ACT.
Asked if they trusted each other, both Mr Peters, 78, and Mr Seymour, who wasn't born when his rival was first elected, deferred.
"The problem is I don't know where he stands on almost any issue," Mr Seymour said, referring to Mr Peters' last stint in government with Labour and the Greens.
"He said he would stick up for licensed firearm owners and sold them down the river.
"He said he would stand up for farmers, voted for James Shaw's Zero Carbon Act, said he would stop co-governance ... and couldn't," he said.
Mr Peters said that was "rubbish".
"It's not my job to trust David Seymour ... you've got to establish trust and this is not a very good start," he said.
Another debate participant, Greens co-leader James Shaw, then leant over and said "if you are voting for the National Party this is what you are voting for".
The dynamic between the two minor parties of the right looms as a major campaign issue.
National is plainly worried about having to deal with NZ First in coalition negotiations, repeatedly asking New Zealanders to walk away from supporting Mr Peters' party.
In 2017, Mr Peters extracted several cabinet positions - including the deputy prime ministership and foreign ministry - for himself and billions of dollars worth of projects in exchange for supporting Jacinda Ardern's Labour party.
He has ruled out supporting Labour following this election after falling out with the party.
In a reference to his view that Mr Seymour is inexperienced, Mr Peters said "I think you should get some long trousers and behave yourself".
"Mr Luxon will expect you to do that as well, so get ready," he said.
Mr Seymour retorted, "oh I will, we'll send you a card".
When Mr Peters called for a competition investigation into supermarkets, Mr Seymour interjected.
"They're having one now," he said, shaking his head.
Mr Shaw had his fair share of fights with Mr Seymour during the debate, repeatedly asking him to stop interjecting.
"David, you can say something stupid every once in a while but you are really abusing the privilege," he said, breaking from his congenial character and earning laughs from Mr Peters.
The fourth player in the debate, Maori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi, was less active, explaining his party's position not to actively chase power.
"We have been in opposition since 1840, I can tell you that right now," Mr Waititi said, a reference to historical wrongdoing against Maori.
"Since the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi - and look what happened to the coalition back then.
"Maori have achieved everything we have in opposition."
In a brutal assessment of the major parties' flagship promises, not a single man raised their hand when asked whether they believed either National or Labour had a credible tax policy.
