HoS on Peters
February 6th, 2011 at 11:00 am by David FarrarThe Herald on Sunday editorial:
Key’s announcement has not necessarily spiked Peters’ guns, but it has given voters a stark choice. “If Winston Peters holds the balance of power,” he said this week, “it will be a Phil Goff-led Labour government.”
In fact, voters already had a stark choice: do they want to return to the style of politics that Peters represents? For a return it would be, in the sense of being a seriously retrograde step. …
He is a skilled practitioner of divisive demagoguery, using alarmist and inflammatory language, in particular to cynically foment feeling against immigrants.
A 2005 NZPA article reminds us of some of them:
“There is a significant percentage of Asians in Auckland. That’s my view. If you don’t like it, vote for another party and let race relations go into chaos.” – Peters, in 2005.
“We have now reached the point where you can wander down Queen Street in Auckland and wonder if you are still in New Zealand or some other country.” – Peters announcing “flying squads” to search for potentially risky immigrants.
“The government’s lax immigration laws are changing the face of our country forever. At this rate, it won’t take long for New Zealand to be unrecognisable.” – In a statement headlined “New Zealand — The Last Asian Colony”.
“We are being dragged into the status of an Asian colony and it is time that New Zealanders were placed first in their own country.” – In July 2004, following a government decision to increase the number of new migrants in the coming year.
It bemuses me that so many activists on the left are putting all their hopes on Winston – they should be the ones demanding that Labour also rules out dealing with him. Power before principles though.
February 6th, 2011 at 11:34 am
And no doubt he will also be using the Savings Working Group to back up his anti-immigration line…
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4622459/Government-policies-blamed-for-house-prices
Although they stress they are not anti-immigration, Winnie will no doubt overlook that in favour of this sort of manna from heaven material.
Vote:February 6th, 2011 at 11:39 am
But why should we trust the posturing of the smiling assassin? His list of broken promises rivals Winston’s and he hasn’t even been in Govt 3 years.
Vote:February 6th, 2011 at 11:50 am
Here is another quote.
“That Minister just does not know which Tom, Dick, Yusef, Ahmed, Sum, or Ying-Tong is actually here”
(from http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/Debates/Debates/3/e/c/47HansD_20050519_00000043-Budget-Debate.htm)
“Ying-Tong” reminds me of the Goons – Peters probably likes to think he is akin to Grytpype-Thynne, but there is probably a tinge of Eccles there too.
Vote:February 6th, 2011 at 11:51 am
“Power before principles though.”
That’s bloody rich that is. How about Key’s partnership with the racist Maori Party, a friendship that has lead to him being recently photographed weakly holding hands with convicted criminal Titewhai Harawira.
Where are John Key’s “principles”?
Vote:February 6th, 2011 at 11:53 am
Didn’t Maori come from the region now called Taiwan?
Vote:Wouldn’t that make them Asian?
Doesn’t Winston like mixing with his distant relatives?
February 6th, 2011 at 12:03 pm
i understand that from here on in…you will be a constant stream of anti-peters invective..
so..just for a bit of balance..eh..?
..finlay mcdonald reckons key has done peters a favour of sorts..
http://whoar.co.nz/2011/key-may-have-done-peters-a-huge-favour/
phil(whoar.co.nz)
Vote:February 6th, 2011 at 12:14 pm
Why do we spend so much time worrying/writing/ thinking about Winston First? I am not going to vote for him and he has always been an irrelevancy.
Vote:Our dim-witted media adore him so we hear far too much about this opportunistic, greedy, untrustworthy person.
February 6th, 2011 at 12:21 pm
It always amazes me so many of don’t understand politics and especially the concept of MMP – politics is the art of compromise. Can u list the promises Key has broken(arguably maybe gst rise) I think many of you confuse Acts policy blue print with that of Nationals, they are quite different. National is a centre right party which is why they have 50+% support in the polls versus less than 2% for ACT.
Vote:February 6th, 2011 at 12:27 pm
I will vote for him, like thousands of others.
Farrar says above
Vote:”
It bemuses me that so many activists on the left are putting all their hopes on Winston – they should be the ones demanding that Labour also rules out dealing with him. Power before principles though.
”
Here is Farrar in the chase to obliviate the value of MMP.
February 6th, 2011 at 1:05 pm
How much of Winston’s support last election came from the racing industry and will they support him now??
I only ask because many in the industry voted for him last election as a thank you for the support he managed to get from the then Labour government. I believe this may have accounted for 1% of the support NZ First had last election. acing people are loyal to racing and Winston is in a position top do nothing for them now so why vote for him??
Prediction NZ First 3.5% next election.
Vote:February 6th, 2011 at 1:22 pm
Find one quote from 1995 that’s as paranoid, racist and just plain nasty as those from 2005. You won’t, because in 1995 I was writing them and I didn’t think like that. And more pertinently, Winston claimed not to think like that either – our targets were immigrants of all hues using their wealth to purchase citizenship and/or land without committing to this country or even, in many cases, bothering to live here – the antithesis, in fact, of the Asians you’ll find walking down Queen Street.
So there’s only four options: Winston was lying in 1995; Winston was lying in 2005; in that decade he genuinely changed his mind; or he just parrots whatever he’s handed to read and doesn’t really think anything.
Much as I don’t want to see his present, post-2005, views given much oxygen I’d be fascinated to see an interviewer who isn’t deterred by histrionics sit him down and ask him to reconcile his positions.
Vote:February 6th, 2011 at 1:51 pm
So DPF, I noted you didn’t do your usual reporting of the Roy Morgan Poll on Friday. What did you think of it?
National 49% (59 seats)
Labour 34.5% (41 seats)
Greens 6.5% (8 seats)
New Zealand First 5.5% (7 seats)
Maori Party 3% (5 seats)
ACT 1% (1 seat)
United Future 0% (1 seat)
Under such numbers, Key would rely on the Greens (higher ETS), Maori Party (customary title to F&S, entrenched Maori seats, the return of the Ureweras, beefed up Whanau Ora) or New Zealand First (high ranking ministerial position, concessions on public/private %, a couple of extra perks on the goldcard).
National realise they need to hit 50%.
[DPF: I don't blog most Roy Morgan polls. Under this poll it would be a hung parliament so either Maori Party would support National or a new election]
Vote:February 6th, 2011 at 2:37 pm
Winston really has pissed on his chips. Even Labour won’t want him with Helen gone. His only purpose in the last government was to make her look human in comparison, rather than the David Icke reptilian alien she obviously is.
Vote:February 6th, 2011 at 2:40 pm
Rex
That’s all baseless allegations, there isn’t a tissue of truth in what you are saying and as for the journalists – they should do some research and come back when they know what they are talking about…..
Vote:February 6th, 2011 at 2:47 pm
pq, that must be an admission of desperation or that you are plumbing new depths.
To express and voice your support for a consumate liar, a venal and corrupt politician, rightly despised by any honest person, says a lot about you. But that’s democracy, I guess.
Vote:February 6th, 2011 at 2:47 pm
Is Winston commenting under the alias of “burt” now?
Vote:February 6th, 2011 at 3:05 pm
Winston is a bombastic narcissist. He is a star in his own deluded eyes. He was crushed to be beaten in Tauranga by Simon Bridges. He was crushed to get less than 5% of voters in 2008. He will not be allowed to stand behind a podium in a Leaders debate in November. He will not want electoral oblivion and humiliation to be his epitaph. He will later this year humbly offer to leave NZ First so that his successor can be a potential kingmaker with either Labour or National (for the people). He will thus end his career as “The greatest Prime Minister NZ never had.”
Vote:February 6th, 2011 at 3:15 pm
Just because key has said he won’t work with Winston does not mean he won’t. Who has kept track of his lies to date?
Vote:February 6th, 2011 at 3:19 pm
Joana Spare us this tosh you peddle.
Vote:I thought Bob the Builder beat Winston in Tauranga.
February 6th, 2011 at 3:22 pm
burt has certainly got the/that peters’ rythymn/cadence down pat…
say it out loud in a peters’-voice…
…whoar..!..it’s spooky…!..you look around for him…!
..and i reckon david is on to it..
..so for now…
burt is peters…
..and should be addressed as such…
..phil(whoar.co.nz)
Vote:February 6th, 2011 at 3:27 pm
um..!..fisiani..
reality-check..eh..?
he got more votes than yr sad little crew….
…the act-ites….
‘they’re going down the toilet….’cos they’re a bunch of lying troughers…
..hide will lose epsom….that much is sure…!
oh..oh…oh…oh..the act-ites…..”
(apologies to desmond dekker…)
phil(whoar.co.nz)
Vote:February 6th, 2011 at 3:29 pm
David in Chch:
I think you’ll find burt is commenting with his tongue planted firmly in his cheek.
Incidentally, the Campaign Against Foreign Control of Aotearoa (CAFCA), upon whom I relied for much of the research that fueled the material I wrote in 1995 and early 1996 has a very good summation of the way things changed as soon as NZF got its hands on power and the people who’d captured Winston felt they could reveal their true colours.
Vote:February 6th, 2011 at 5:31 pm
It’s probably safe to trust John Key on this.
cheers
David Prosser
Vote:February 6th, 2011 at 8:43 pm
Joana @ 3:15…..
you have got to be kidding. He will not go back on that. I think many of you have missed the biggest point of all…..there is and has been a new type of politics in town since JK has taken the helm. You wait with baited breath for the trickery and deciept we are so used to….he doesn’t play that game. He has easily realised that sometimes you may loose a fight but he will win the war he beleives is worth fighting for (such as his hand holding with Mother). Surely politics is such a long term focus….you can’t change the world in 2 years but I suspect many have expected absolut miracles from this government in the most extraordinary times. He has clearly stated that IF NZ aren’t looking for what JK and National are standing for, then they will vote the other way. Why so much hostility from so many of you here? I find it strange.
Vote:February 7th, 2011 at 2:18 am
No need to sweat it guys. John Key is going to make Winston Peters the next Governor-General of New Zealand.
Real politics in action right there. Effectively knocking New Zealand first out of the running for the General Election this year.
If John Key can support jobs for total scumbags like Michael Cullen and Helen Clark then you know this decision is just down the road.
Vote:February 7th, 2011 at 6:52 am
For the first time in a while there is a start political contrast between Nats and Labour. There is no certainty that National will lead the next government especially if Peters cobbles together 5%+ of the vote. If they do National are faced with getting 50%+, relying on a Maori Party that is self destructing, ACT who even if they gain Epsom may not get enough votes to have more than Hide in Parliament and of course Peter Dunn.
Labour on the other hand could, (even if their vote collapses it is possible those who decide note to vote labour will in fact be the very people who put peters in the house). Then we could end up in the horror coalition of Labour, Greens and NZ First.
The election is going to be fought on asset sales which given our track record with past sales is for the nats is a fragile start
Vote:February 7th, 2011 at 9:44 am
yes Mark , asset sales have really worked in the past , creating all these off shore millionaires who are too despised to be able to keep living in NZ. You find them in Sydney , the South of France , the Uk..etc..
Vote:How come no new ideas?
Key is a politician..one considered very ambitious by his earlier colleagues..of course he will make deals to stay in power. I would say his real issue with Peters is his own inability to win a debate with him.
February 7th, 2011 at 9:55 am
Joana You may remember that Key won the debates before the last election – even against Helen Clark – when he had far less experience. You make the usual lefty error of sneering at Key so spitefully you end up under-estimating him.
And we are over Peters brand of glib sophistry which Hone is so good at too. They would both be a much better fit with Labour who will say or do anything to claw back power.
Vote:February 7th, 2011 at 12:42 pm
joana
Anyone can win a debate against Peters IF they have a recording of it. Peters will say whatever he thinks you want to hear and if you cleaverly construct your questions it only takes about 10 minutes of his time to make a complete fool out of him.
The problem is he blusters and shouts then starts litterally pushing you around when you mock him. Few have the tenacity to face such a complete loose cannon for fear he will explode.
I’ve posted before on the subject – On one occasion I had him poking me in the chest and telling me that it was people like me who wear pin-striped suits that are the problem in NZ. Go figure.
Vote:February 7th, 2011 at 12:59 pm
joana
BTW: The reason you need a recording is because Peters will shout and scream that he never said what he said 5 minutes ago when you quote it back to him. The recording lets you technically win but Peters will just storm out and refuse to listen so in his mind – he always wins every debate.
Vote: