Former Prime Minister Helen Clark has questioned whether the coalition Government can survive until the election on November 7 as relationships between the parties become “increasingly fractious”.
Her comments follow revelations in the Herald this morning that NZ First leader Winston Peters had released emails showing Prime Minister Christopher Luxon wanted the Government to express “explicit public support” for the United States-led war in Iran, days after it broke out.
The emails show Luxon was talked out of this position by Peters and staff in Peters’ office.
Ahead of last night’s crisis talks, a spokesperson for Peters’ office described Luxon’s suggested position as imprudent and counter to New Zealand’s national interest.
Following last night’s meeting, Luxon’s spokesman said the PM’s position had been mischaracterised and Peters had “acknowledged he had made a mistake” in releasing the emails.
Speaking to Ryan Bridge Today, Clark said the coalition relationships were “clearly ... rather fractured”.
“They’re eating each other. It’s clear that Winston Peters is taking a lot of the National Party’s vote.
“Right now, I couldn’t look you in the eye and say I thought that the ... Government would last till the 7th of November.
“They may stagger on, but it’s going to be increasingly fractious with less and less agreement internally.”
Clark said it was “always a possibility” the coalition wouldn’t last and the revelations around the war had put that into focus.
“How do you carry on with such fundamental disagreements?”
Clark said Luxon’s support for the war so early on was “quite extraordinary” and she was not surprised Peters had pushed back very hard.
“I recall back in 2003 when our government took a position of not supporting the war in Iraq, Winston Peters at that time was completely on board with not supporting.
“He knows, as he said, this is not his first rodeo, that you get involved in a war in the Middle East and it becomes a quagmire.”
Luxon’s spokesman told the Herald last night it was the Prime Minister’s job to always challenge the advice he received.
“In this case, he sought to test New Zealand’s position against that of Canada and Australia.
“The public statements made by the Government reflect the PM’s position. If they didn’t, they would not have been made.”
Clark told Bridge it had been interesting to watch Australia and Canada’s changing stance over the war.
“Both came out in support of the war initially and then when it became clear how unpopular it was, how disastrous it was going to be, their language has shifted and shifted and shifted as well.
“So if New Zealand had been foolish enough to offer vocal support for this, we would be seeing politicians here now walking back, walking back, walking back that initial wrong statement.”
Nicola Willis has this morning described the Luxon-Peters crisis talks as “another silly debate about nothing”, saying both New Zealand First and National want a “strong, stable government”.
Speaking to Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking Breakfast, the Finance Minister said there is no crisis in the coalition.
“I think that it’s clear in the article that, in this case, Mr Peters has said that he made a mistake releasing those emails, which, as I’d characterise them, are nothing actually that unusual, that there is debate and discussion behind the scenes before a public position is formed between ministers.
“But in this case, you’re seeing how the sausage was made, which normally isn’t what you see, and Mr Peters has acknowledged that it was a mistake.”
Willis said of course the two parties will keep having political debates up to the election as they vie for votes, but both remain focused on stability.
“All of us believe that the national interest of strong, stable government, unified positions on foreign affairs, ensuring we manage the economy well, is far more important than any political skirmishes that we have from time to time. And normally, that is put first.
“In this instance, it could appear that that’s not what’s gone on. But look, I take Mr Peters at his word. He said he’s made a mistake.”
Willis also questioned whether New Zealanders are interested in such “argy-bargy”.
“They are focused on, actually, ‘Are you managing the economy well? Are you going to get us through this crisis? How much are my groceries going to cost next week?’ That’s what I’m focused on.
“So I just sort of sigh and say this is just another silly debate about nothing. Everyone wants strong, stable government. There is no crisis. We want to keep the coalition going well.
“We’re going to deliver a good Budget next month. We are governing this well, making good decisions. Of course, there are debates behind the scenes. That’s not a news flash.”
Sign up to The Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.