Winston Peters has won strong praise from CEOs for his foreign affairs prowess and the way he is also handling his responsibilities as Deputy Prime Minister.
In the 2024 Mood of the Boardroom survey, some 20% of respondents rated his performance as “very impressive”. This was on a 1-5 scale where 1=not impressive and 5=very impressive. A further 48% rated his performance at 4/5; 21% at 3/5.
But it’s his foreign affairs record that has sparked the most comment. Several respondents labelled him “the best Foreign Minister New Zealand has ever had”.
Said a leading investment CEO: “He is in his sweet spot. Smart, strategic and vital to our interests.”
From Windfarms NZ’s Craig Stobo: “An impressive saddlebag to National’s bike. Great on rebuilding our global relationships, great on his focus on the needs of New Zealanders, not their identities.
Adds Mainfreight CEO Don Braid: “His international trade and relationship acumen continues to surprise.”
Back as Foreign Minister for the third time, Peters has set a cracking pace. In the interests of regional security, he has lifted New Zealand to play a greater role in the Indo-Pacific and reinvigorate its relationship with the Five Eyes partners (the United States, Australia, Canada and the UK), and Japan and South Korea as other members of Nato’s Indo-Pacific 4 (IP4).
In New York last week, he launched New Zealand’s campaign for a seat on the United Nations Security Council in 2039.
The use of the veto powers held by the council’s permanent members — China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States — has long been a point of frustration for New Zealand.
No more so that when confronting the current conflicts in the Gaza and Ukraine.
He told the UN General Assembly: “We small states need today’s superpowers to talk more, seek better understanding between them, and develop ways of compromising more.
“Rather than a zero-sum game, effecting better relations between today’s Great Powers only enhances global stability, and that is what we smaller nations seek.”
In total, Peters has visited 31 countries since taking on the portfolio in late 2024: Fiji (twice), Australia, Tonga (twice), Cook Islands, Samoa, India, Indonesia, Singapore, Egypt, Poland, Belgium, Sweden, United States (twice), Türkiye, Solomon Islands (twice), Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, Timor-Leste, Nauru, Niue, Republic of Korea, Japan, Laos, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau and French Polynesia.
He has placed a strong emphasis on the Pacific, which is the subject of complex geo-strategic manoeuvring by China and the United States.
Peters has visited 15 of the 17 Pacific Islands Forum members, with the goal to get to all this year. Still outstanding are New Caledonia, and Kiribati (the latter subject to the Kiribati Government allowing diplomatic visits once the election process is completed — these are currently on hold).
Peters is well-networked in the Pacific and was instrumental in persuading the United States to engage strongly in the region as part of a Pacific Reset.
Visiting US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell did not single out Peters directly in his formal comments at a recent media roundtable in Auckland, but he acknowledged New Zealand’s role in advising how to listen carefully and how to execute efficiently and effectively. He was “not at all shy” about saying that New Zealand has been the central ingredient in the US step-up in the Pacific. “I would say that with the highest of respect and acknowledgement and appreciation.”
Campbell did acknowledge Peters informally before heading up to the Foreign Minister’s Auckland home for refreshments.
Peters’ officials say that part of his undoubted success is he is indeed a “great listener”.
Peters is also a good host and entertains many visiting foreign ministers and politicians at his home.
Former Prime Minister Helen Clark first appointed him Foreign Minister in October 2005 — this makes him an old hand and known quantity among the international club of foreign ministers.
That Peters has hit the ground running is also due to his good sense in reappointing key advisers from his last rodeo in the portfolio from 2017-2020.
Jon Johansson, his former chief of staff, is back as a special adviser and along with returnee and senior Foreign Affairs adviser Michael Appleton has accompanied him on many of his offshore visits.
Helen Lahtinen has returned as his senior private secretary.
Former parliamentary colleague Darroch Ball is his chief of staff and minds the ship while Peters and his team are offshore.
Said Freightways’ Mark Cairns. “Winston is a very statesman-like minister that I am happy to have representing NZ in overseas markets.”
And Cameron Bagrie, of Bagrie Economics, says: “He is the right person for Foreign Affairs given the ‘Switzerland’ role we are trying to fill.”
Peters has already attended the following forums.
● New Zealand — Australia Foreign and Defence Ministers ‘2+2′ meeting (ANZMIN) — Melbourne.
● Nato Foreign Ministers Meeting — Brussels.
● UN General Assembly — New York.
● Anzac Day commemoration — Gallipoli.
● Japan-Pacific Islands Forum Meeting (PALM) — Tokyo.
● Asean Foreign Ministers Meeting — Vientiane (Laos).
● Pacific Islands Forum Foreign Ministers Meeting — Suva.
● Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting — Nuku’alofa.
He will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Samoa later in the month, then fly to Peru in mid-November for the ministerial meeting which precedes the Apec Economic Leaders Meeting.
Several CEOs commented that Peters’ role as leader of New Zealand First seemed to bring him into conflict with journalists.
“While I recognise Winston Peters is very good in the international setting, he undermines his performance by being unreliable and unwilling to work constructively with others, including the media,” a CEO says.
Many business leaders rate the Opposition Finance Spokesperson highly.