Meeting with Winston a family affair

David and Betsy Tipple, of Gun City, brought their whole family along to meet NZ First’s Winston Peters and Shane Jones in Christchurch on Sunday.

‘‘Many patients waited with no treatment and no information about when they would be treated.’’

When David Tipple meets politicians, it’s a full family affair.

A charity dinner with Winston Peters and Shane Jones was only meant for two guests. Instead, Tipple brought nearly 30.

Tipple, his wife Betsy, and most of their children and grandchildren met the NZ First MPs at their home in Christchurch on Sunday night.

Tipple, who owns the country’s largest gun store Gun City, recently won the dinner, paying $7350 to have dinner with the MPs with the money going to Koru Care NZ.

Although Jones offered to discuss gun reform law, Tipple said he ‘‘stayed away’’ from the topic, though he was ‘‘most impressed’’ to learn Peters not only knew the name of a Russian rifle, but owned one.

Tipple said the conversation mainly traversed rugby, family and songs.

‘‘It was more than a meet and greet, it was a lamb and meat,’’ he said.

‘‘How do I feel? I feel he [Peters] is a thinking man. I feel he is not going to rush and slash and burn thing that don’t need to be slashed and burned. He’s going to looking at causes, not solutions.’’

Tipple did not attend the NZ First conference in Christchurch over the weekend, but noted Peters, accompanied by Jones and Ron Mark, talked to gun lobbyists (but not Extinction Rebellion protesters).

‘‘I am pleased because gun people are hurting,’’ he said.