Will NZ First make it back into Parliament?

• mickysavage
• 4 years ago
• Categories: election 2020, greens, james shaw, new conservatives, nz first, uncategorized, winston peters
• Tags: advance party, vision new zealand

He has had more lives than your average cat but surely this is the last election for Winston Peters and NZ First.

The polls are against him, although they have been against him in the past.  But this election there is a great deal of competition for the fringe nutty part of the electorate.  We have the New Conservatives, Vision New Zealand, the One Party and Advance New Zealand all vying for the attention of voters who New Zealand First have always appealed to.  Mix in different variations of racist xenophobia and popular conspiracy theories and there are now five parties competing for not very many votes.

The pressure seems to be showing.  Winston had this melt down of an interview on Sunday.

It was classic Winston, but this is not necessarily a good thing.

Winston did what Winston does and during a 13 minute interview:

• Broke Cabinet understandings of collective decision making by saying he disagreed with the Covid response over masks, quarantine arrangements and the use of the Military, even though they were used.
• Called Jack Tame “James” a number of times and described him as “Junior” and “Billy the Kid”.  Also claimed that he (Peters) was in control of the interview.
• Refused to comment on allegations that NZ First was responsible for leaking information about the Green School funding and said that he should have been told he would be asked about this.  Dear Winston when you go on media you should expect to be asked about anything.
• Refused to answer questions about why two of his associates were given spots on a taxpayer funded flight to Antarctica.
• Failed to explain adequately why Christchurch should have a racetrack funded by the Provincial Growth Fund.
• Declined to say how much money the horse racing industry has donated to New Zealand First.
• Refused to answer questions about the SFO investigation into the New Zealand First Foundation and in particular if he personally or his partner Jan Trottman have been interviewed by the SFO.

You may sense a personal preference that New Zealand First is not returned to Parliament.  This is because the New Zealand First opposition to anything the Greens have proposed has been a major problem for the last Government.  James Shaw summed it up perfectly in the Adjournment Debate in Parliament:

And here we are, Mr Speaker, the final hour of the final day of the 52nd Parliament.

Our business, for the moment, complete.

I know everyone here is champing at the bit to get out campaigning around the country.

Trying out their new election slogans.

There’s Labour: “Let’s keep moving.”

New Zealand First: “Let’s not.”

You can almost see the ads can’t you?

“New Zealand First: You can stop progress.”

Of course it is far too early to write Winston off and anything is possible.  But I for one will not be upset if New Zealand First do not make it back.  Their reflexive anti Green response to any policy proposal is stopping the country from very important change.