In Focus on politics, RNZ's political team catch up with the minor party leaders to discuss 2021, potential allies, and Covid-19.

RNZ's political team catch up with the minor party leaders to discuss 2021, potential allies, and Covid-19.

With much of the political year focused on the Covid-19 response, Labour and National have soaked up much of the attention, but the minor parties have still played a role.

ACT has been soaking up some of National's lost support, the Greens have had to forge their own path despite having two ministers in government, and Te Pāti Māori has been rebuilding its identity in its first year back in Parliament after a term out in the cold.

Listen to the full interview

This week, ACT's David Seymour, the Green Party's Marama Davidson and James Shaw, and the Māori Party's Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi spoke to RNZ, reflecting on 2021.

Read more:

A sit-down with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern

A sit-down with National leader Christopher Luxon

"We live to ensure New Zealand has the best policy" - David Seymour

Seymour came under fire this year for sharing a priority vaccine code, which allowed Māori and Pacific people to get vaccinated at Whānau Ora locations without booking ahead.

It was a move widely criticised by medical professionals and politicians but Seymour says his position has been "completely vindicated" and he still stands by sharing the priority code.

"We shouldn't be racially profiling people. Most people want a more inclusive New Zealand and if we're going to do intervention on social services - and we do need to give people more equal opportunity - then we're going to have to target a lot better, using better data rather than somewhat lazily targeting people based on ethnic groupings."

David Seymour

ACT has been on a steady rise in political polls this year, the latest Newshub Reid-Research result giving them 16 percent, which Seymour attributes to his party listening to people and coming up with solutions.

"We don't just sort of sit there and throw rocks. We say 'well, actually, if you want a better tomorrow and you vote for ACT here are the kinds of things that we would bring to the table'. I think based on the feedback I get, people appreciate listening, and solutions."

"We wanted to make sure we had an equity lens" - Marama Davidson and James Shaw

While ACT has capitalised on the National Party's soul-searching, the Green Party has struggled to cut through under the shadow of Labour. …

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details