The minister responsible for the doomed Treaty Principles Bill, David Seymour, will debate Ngāti Toa leader Helmut Modlik tonight.

Centred on the Treaty and how it should be interpreted in modern-day Aotearoa, the debate will pit Seymour and Modlik against each other at 8pm tonight.

Speaking to the NZ Herald, Seymour said he was happy to debate anyone, at any time, anywhere.

“The point of the Treaty Principles Bill is to protect all New Zealanders’ say on the future of our country. I hope this will be the first of many conversations on what Kiwis want for their futures. Helmut has the same right as anyone else to take part in this conversation and I look forward to hearing what he has to say.”

Meanwhile, Modlik told RNZ he agrees that a national debate is needed on the place of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in modern Aotearoa, but emphasised the need for a two-way discussion.

“I actually agree with [Seymour] that it is a topic of importance to our community and society, so I’ve basically responded to it because the question really begs: Well, where is this debate going to happen? And who’s going to participate?”

How to watch the debate

The debate will be hosted by Martyn Bradbury and Damien Grant on political podcast The Working Group.

It will be live-streamed on The Working Group political podcast and simulcast across a variety of platforms, including the Te Ao Māori News website and Facebook page.

The debate will also stream on Waatea Radio platforms, JuiceTV.live, Sky TV Channel 3, and replayed on Freeview Channel 200.

The Working Group can also be found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Rova.