Finlayson sprays venom at Peters
Senior National MP Chris Finlayson has used parliamentary privilege to launch a stinging rebuke of Winston Peters, saying he has done nothing for New Zealand, had no integrity in the coalition negotiations with National, and that National “dodged a bullet” when Peters chose to go with Labour.
Speaking in the House yesterday, Finlayson said he had some regard for some of the New Zealand First caucus, but not for its leader.
“I have absolutely no regard for the Right Honourable Winston Peters, and have had no regard for him from the time I acted for the National Party caucus in the early 1990s, when he was removed from the caucus.
“Old habits don’t change [quickly], and he has made absolutely no contribution to New Zealand in my view.”
Finlayson echoed his colleague Judith Collins, who last week questioned whether Peters had played the National Party in their coalition negotiations in light of the legal papers that Peters served on a number of National MPs, including Bill English, Paula Bennett and Steven Joyce.
Peters filed the papers the day before the election, but they were only served last week.
“It’s becoming [clear] that the negotiations were essentially a fraud after the general election,” Finlayson said.
“I believe we’ve dodged a bullet, and I’m very happy that the National Party conducted itself with [dignity].”
Finlayson also used his speech to implore the Government to be careful with the so-called Hobbit law. Finlayson was Attorney General at the time and provided legal advice in the 2011 stoush between Warner Bros and the unions, which resulted in the Hobbit law, properly known as the Employment Relations (Film Production Work) Amendment Bill.
The law means that film and television workers are contractors by default, meaning they cannot legally collectively bargain.
Previously, workers could potentially disrupt a production by testing their worker status and, if confirmed as an employee, start collectively bargaining. This uncertainty was highlighted as possibly keeping producers from making films in New Zealand.
Finlayson said repealing the law would “destroy the film industry in Wellington”.
Workplace Relations Minister Iain Lees-Galloway has said he is meeting with stakeholders to find a solution.