Election 2020: Winston Peters reveals NZ First threatened to pull the pin on coalition over Ihumātao

Winston Peters has claimed NZ First had threatened to pull out of the coalition with Labour if it went ahead with a deal over Ihumātao, saying it was a "confidence" issue for NZ First.

In a speech in Orewa, Peters said NZ First "went to the wall over Ihumātao," rejecting Labour's attempts to get a deal across the line three times and finally making it clear it was a confidence issue for NZ First.

He said NZ First had also refused Labour's request to invoke the "agree to disagree" provisions in the coalition agreement – a step that would have allowed Labour to go ahead with the deal but without NZ First publicly supporting it.

"We went to the wall over Ihumātao. Labour asked us to "agree to disagree."

"We said no. For us it was a matter of deep principle. For us it was fundamental to whether we maintained confidence in Labour. So we told Labour that. And staved off any action before the election."

Peters said when NZ First negotiated to be in a coalition government with Labour they agreed they were not going to abide by "politically correct policies".

He said Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern blindsided him by trying to push through a deal on Ihumātao in 2019 while he was overseas.

Peters said his party blocked the deal three times.

"We said no to Labour. Not once. Not twice. But three times," Peters said.

"If Labour governs after the election, by themselves, heaven forbid, or with the Greens, God help us all, then they will do a deal at Ihumātao.

"Nothing is more certain."

Peters told the crowd in a racially charged speech that he could protect New Zealand from "tokenistic, I'm-better-than-you woke people".

"One law for all has always been our mantra."

Fletcher Building purchased the land in 2014 for a planned housing development, but protesters from the Save Our Unique Landscape (SOUL) movement say it should be returned to Māori.

In July last year, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern called for a halt to any building work while the Government and other parties tried to broker a solution.