It’s all about respect
Whether compared by temperament, age, or their politics, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her deputy Winston Peters are a political odd couple.
But they have defied the pundits and survived the first 12 months of their political marriage – though they have not made it look easy at times.
Disagreements over policies, including refugee numbers and law and order, have played out in public, and Ardern has had to contend with the barbed comments of her opponents and some commentators that it’s really Peters who is running the show. Ardern says she and Peters talk frequently by phone but the pair rarely socialise together – and when they talk about each other it’s about a relationship of respect, rather than friendship.
Respect is, in fact, one of the words Ardern uses when the pair are asked to describe each other in three words – calling Peters experienced, respectful and humorous. Peters refuses to bite, however, insisting that he couldn’t describe anything so significant in three words.
But both insist their relationship is durable and Ardern says she never contemplated the likelihood of it failing. ‘‘I never questioned that we could make this work … the things that are motivating both parties, we had some real consensus there and that’s what’s driving the agenda (for next three years). We just operate in a really respectful way. We talk often.
‘‘There is no challenge that can’t be worked through in my view.’’ She also rejects any falling out over issues like refugee numbers. ‘‘When you think about the scale of decisions, there’s 50 decisions a week, some little, some big. Some of them might for a period be discussed in the public domain at the same time we were discussing them – that’s not a weakness, that’s MMP.
‘‘That’s a strength that we use the voices of a majority of New Zealanders and translated that into the government they ultimately voted for. And yeah we have put aside ego and we’ve said this is what New Zealand wanted and we’re going to make it work.
‘‘We either could have done that or been in opposition again.’’
Peters, meanwhile, insists there is a secret ingredient in their relationship, and it’s not just a willingness to compromise – it’s being humble.
‘‘We campaigned on concerns about the economic and social and conditions of New Zealand.
‘‘If you really mean that, there’s a massive obligation to actually humble yourself and get the darn job done.
‘‘I look around the Western world today and you’ve got the fractious nature of egotistical politics, in a country not very far from us that’s had six prime ministers in six years, in the US and UK and elsewhere.
‘‘Our obligation goes to where our background is, if we believe the economic and social condition needs our attention, we’ve got to combine to make sure that successful.’’
As hard as people might find it to believe, Peters says, that included humbling himself to do the deal with Labour.
‘‘I see political rows in some parties and I know that the issue of the governance of the country is not their number one concern.
‘‘It’s where they are and their promotion and everything else.’’
That meant an acceptance that some NZ First policies would not be implemented in this term of government, not just because they were irreconcilable with Labour, but also the third party in the Government grouping, the Greens. ‘‘There are some big issues which we won’t be able to reconcile. So we don’t go there.
‘‘We don’t push policies that aren’t reconcilable.’’
NZ First signed up with Labour after two weeks of negotiation, and an election result that delivered National the most party votes on the night.
There was an assumption that National would be returned for a fourth term but Peters upturned that by doing a deal with Labour, installing the first minority MMP Government.
Peters says he respected what Ardern did for Labour.
‘‘To put my cards on the table, my respect depends on a number of things. One is whether the person deserves to be there and, whatever you say, Jacinda Ardern deserved to be there after her performance from a hopeless position nine weeks out from the election. That’s what it comes down to ... whether they contributed to the outcome or they just bled the outcome as so many leaders do.’’
But there is something the pair of them don’t do together often, and that is socialise.
Peters says it is not necessary for their relationship to work.
‘‘You’re not running a social club here and this is pretty monumental stuff. And I hope the prime minister appreciates that I appreciate how busy she is.
‘‘I don’t want to be rung up every day and every weekend.
‘‘I like to be consulted and when she wants to; I feel free to make a phone call myself and say I’ve got this issue and that issue.’’
As for the odds of their relationship enduring beyond the next election, Peters is as noncommittal as ever. ‘‘NZ First has never ever done a deal before the election behind the voters’ backs.
‘‘Our job is to be a highly successful coalition government.’’