Peters' taxi interview creates hot airwaves

An unrepentant Winston Peters is adamant that he had a valid reason for refusing to pay the taxi fare which led to a complaint being made against him to the police.

In an interview on National Radio which turned into a clash between Mr Peters and interviewer Sean Plunket, the New Zealand First leader said the issue was "a matter of performance".

He got into a dispute with Somali driver Muhiyadin early last Thursday and ended up walking some of the way home.

He has since paid the $15 fare and offered an apology through the police, who are not taking any action.

On National Radio yesterday, he said: "If you ask for something to be done and it's not done, why pay for it? He couldn't get me home so I had to walk home."

Muhiyadin has said Mr Peters did not give him the address despite being asked three times, and got out of the cab when it reached the Wellington suburb of Ngaio, where the MP lives.

Mr Peters said he felt sorry for Muhiyadin because he was a refugee, and he criticised the Government's immigration policy.

"It's people like you, who rush to his defence, who are part and parcel of this problem," he told Plunket.

"We're happy to have people who are not qualified to do a job ... It's not his fault he's doing this, it's the fault of the country.

"He's a refugee, he's got a very tenuous grasp of the geography of Wellington and also the English language.

"It's not really his fault, it's our fault. That's why I apologised to him."

The interview degenerated into personal invective when Plunket tried to find out whether Mr Peters had been drinking before he got into the cab.

Mr Peters: Of course I had a drink. The real point here ...

Plunket: Could you tell us how many drinks?

Mr Peters: I'm not going to indulge your prurient little prying mind. I'm telling you this fellow ...

Plunket: I take it you'll be paying for cab rides in future?

Mr Peters: You know, Sean, given who you are and what you are and what I know about you, you've got an awful cheek to be asking me these questions ...

- NZPA