Ngāti Toa Rangatira leader Helmut Modlik is set to go toe-to-toe with the architect of the Treaty Principles Bill, David Seymour, in a hotly anticipated debate tonight.

At the heart of the debate is Te Tiriti o Waitangi, its principles, and how it should be interpreted in 21st-century Aotearoa.

The bill itself is already doomed to fail, with no parliamentary support outside of the ACT Party beyond the select committee stage, but it’s nonetheless caused massive controversy across Aotearoa.

While David Seymour and Helmut Modlik agree it’s worth a conversation, Modlik has taken issue with how that conversation has played out, insisting it’s been largely dominated by the government, which, as representatives of the Crown, only make up one half of the partnership in te Tiriti.

Meanwhile, Seymour has insisted the bill is meant to “protect all New Zealanders’ say on the future of our country”.

Also participating in the debate is Damien Grant, a regular opinion contributor for Stuff and The Working Group podcast, which is hosting the debate.

Debate format

Modlik, Seymour and Grant will each have three minutes to give their opening statement, outlining what te Tiriti means to them and its place in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Following the opening statements, the debate will move to a revolving quick-fire question panel segment.

Finally, Seymour, Modlik, and host Martyn Bradbury will each get a two-minute final word.

Grant will only get a one-minute final word, with the podcast’s producers humourously claiming “no one should be forced to listen to a libertarian longer than 60 seconds”.

The debate is set to begin at 8 pm on The Working Group political podcast.

It will be simulcast across a variety of platforms, including 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.