Peters’ TV barb: ‘Good riddance’
NZ First leader twists knife on MediaWorks at party conference I’m sorry for some of them because they deserve to stay, but for some of them: good riddance.
Winston Peters has begun his run to the election swinging in all directions. The New Zealand First leader’s opening speech yesterday at his party’s annual convention this weekend was a call to action for 2020, but it was laden with attacks against ailing MediaWorks, the National Party and his Coalition partners’ policies.
Speaking to members in Christchurch, Peters launched into a criticism of what he said was unfair media treatment of his party before focusing on MediaWorks, which this week announced it was putting its television arm up for sale with no obvious buyers or government intervention in sight.
“It was announced yesterday certain sections of them are going,” Peters said, evoking a few cheers from the audience.
“Now I’m sorry for some of them because they deserve to stay, but for some of them: good riddance.”
Peters later dug in, saying it was positive some people at the organisation could lose their jobs.
“There are some superb people who work for MediaWorks but I won’t tell you who they are.”
Peters framed the conference as the start of the party’s march towards the 2020 general election. Key to its strategy is trying to appear a neutral force between Labour and National.
His speech — like last year’s — was scathing about the latter, calling its 2017 campaign “tawdry” and pointing to Steven Joyce’s “$11.7 billion hole”.
“That’s their last outing. Don’t give them, unless they reform, another chance.”
Peters also took time to talk up his party’s achievements as a brake on the Government’s policies.
Describing the capital gains tax as “economically damaging”, he said NZ First had stopped “1970s-style” industrial relations rules, and won concessions on climate change regulation.
Peters briefly left the convention to speak to a group of gun-owning protesters assembled across the road.
Armed only with picket signs, the protesters say they feel “persecuted” by the Government’s latest tranche of firearms legislation — which includes setting up a register.
Peters — accompanied by government ministers and avid hunter Ron Mark, and Shane Jones, who was this month photographed with an AR-15, the type of assault rifle used in the March 15 attack — made no concessions.
But he told the frustrated gunowners his party was keeping an open mind about the law through the ongoing select committee process.
Inside, the party went about its annual work — including the process of publicly debating policy suggestions by members.
Among the dozens of policies debated in rapid succession was for a request for the party to investigate bringing in 100 hours of compulsory community service for all people aged 15 to 19; supporting an independent review of the Auckland Super City and trialling methane-reduction technology including GMO ryegrass.
Winston Peters
● Read Kerre McIvor, p26