Peters gets more stick than tick for first two weeks

National leader Simon Bridges has given NZ First leader Winston Peters his first report card in his first two weeks as acting prime minister – and it’s hardly glowing.

‘‘It’s not a two and it’s not a seven or eight,’’ Bridges told

Stuff. ‘‘It’s kind of what we expected – a bit underwhelming.’’

Bridges said Peters had not changed the trajectory of the Government under Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and ‘‘there’s a lack of a sense of direction, a lot of uncertainty and I believe there’s a country that’s stalling’’.

Despite the poor report card, Bridges is not ruling Peters out of keeping the job under National if the next election brings a different outcome.

‘‘Who knows?’’ he said. Peters has a chequered history with National – he was deputy prime minister to Jim Bolger under the 1996 coalition with National but fell out with the party after Bolger was rolled by Jenny Shipley. Former National leader Sir John Key later ruled out a coalition with Peters but, as National’s potential allies shrunk, was later forced to extend the olive branch.

Peters got the ultimate revenge, however, when he turned his back on National in 2017 by opting to go into Government with Labour, despite National having a bigger share of the popular vote on election night – a first under MMP.

Peters is acting prime minister for six weeks while Ardern takes maternity leave following the birth of her first child, Neve Te Aroha Ardern Gayford.

Ardern has not handed over the reins entirely. Peters is in text contact with her and Ardern posted a video to Facebook on Sunday marking the start of Labour’s families package.

There have been some glitches in Peters’ first couple of weeks, including a stoush with Newshub’s The AM Show, hosted by Duncan Garner.

Peters was ‘‘uninvited’’ by Garner after a mix-up over times saw him arrive three minutes late for an interview.

The show subsequently invited Peters back but he had already booked a slot with Australian cable channel Sky News Australia.