Peters needed to perform

Images are key in politics. Don Brash walked the plank and ate mud. John Key liked the odd pull on a ponytail. This country has had two weeks it is unlikely to forget. Among the many images that will remain burned into the memory was the look of anguish and compassion on our head-scarfed prime minister.

That picture will no doubt be a contender for the cover of Time, when the magazine reveals its annual Person of the Year.

But another image perhaps revealed one of Jacinda Ardern’s colleagues running out of time. Ardern, unimpressed with Turkey’s portrayal of New Zealand’s day of suffering, said her foreign minister would be confronting the offensive comments of Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a visit to that country.

In Winston Peters’ own words, he was going there to ‘‘put the record straight’’: it was not a New Zealander who shot and killed 50 Muslims, we did not like the president’s nasty reference to our Gallipoli grandfathers, and would Erdogan please stop playing the Christchurch killer’s video to election rallies.

He also wanted an assurance that New Zealanders in Turkey would be safe.

He now says he believes some progress has been made as Erdogan is using a smaller portion of the clip. He had got an assurance on safety and the president had toned down the campaigning.

Peters’ approach contrasts with the strong language of Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison against his Turkish counterpart. He summoned Turkey’s ambassador to Australia, made it clear he would not ‘‘accept the excuses’’ for the president’s outburst, and included his own threat.

‘‘I will wait to see what the response is from the Turkish Government before taking further action, but I can tell you that all options are on the table,’’ he said.

Australia has more clout in global politics. But the image we and the rest of the world were left with was that of our nearest neighbour stepping up and into the power vacuum created by our own weakness.

There is, of course, another image: Peters apparently dozing at the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation forum while Erdogan addresses New Zealand’s response to the shootings. It is a picture of Peters figuratively asleep at the wheel of this country’s foreign affairs. At a key point in the nation’s history.

It was particularly bad timing for the NZ First leader. Ardern has done an admirable job of harnessing a momentum of pain and anger to lead positive change in the country’s gun laws. Her stock has risen considerably both on these shores and overseas. Peters, meanwhile, has appeared undermined and partially silenced by his own troublesome anti-immigration commentary.

So he needed to perform and display strength in Turkey, not only on behalf of his fellow countrymen and women but also, perhaps, for the prospects of a party with immigration as a principal theme.

He failed.

[Ardern’s] stock has risen considerably both on these shores and overseas. Peters, meanwhile, has appeared undermined and partially silenced by his own troublesome anti-immigration commentary.