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Home / New Zealand

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says recent criticism of Winston Peters 'is not fair'

Jason Walls
By Jason Walls
Political Editor – Newstalk ZB·NZ Herald·
12 Feb, 2020 01:59 AM3 mins to read

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Focus: PM Jacinda Ardern defending Winston Peters over the racing industry's donations to NZ First. Video / Mark Mitchell

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is defending her deputy, and New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters, amid criticism over donations to his party from the racing industry.

While Ardern was forced to field questions from reporters about the efficacy of the donations, Peters refused to talk to media.

In a midnight tweet, Peters said that within the next 48 hours, he would be letting people know "the truth about the NZ First Foundation" via a Facebook live question and answer session.

READ MORE:
• NZ First Foundation received tens of thousands of dollars from horse racing industry
• NZ First leader Winston Peters will answer questions about NZ First Foundation via Facebook live
• NZ First undeclared donations: Serious Fraud Office to investigate
• Barry Soper: Why Simon Bridges' call on Winston Peters and NZ First has just made his job even harder

Peters did not answer questions about NZ First's donations from the racing industry when pressed by media.

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Instead, he would only say: "At 6:30 tonight on my Facebook you will have your answers".

This morning, RNZ – which appears to have detailed accounts of donations to the NZ First Foundation – reported that the Foundation had received tens of thousands of dollars of donations from the horse racing industry.

Many of these donations, according to RNZ, fall just below the $15,000.01 threshold at which the donation must be made public.

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Peters, also Minister of Racing, has delivered lucrative benefits to the industry since taking the portfolio's reins in 2017.

National finance spokesman Paul Goldsmith said this afternoon New Zealanders needed reassurance that there had been no undue influence as a result of the donations.

"We have New Zealand First ministers making large decisions about large spending and all New Zealanders want to be assured about the integrity of the decision-making."

But Ardern said these sorts of accusations were "not fair".

Discover more

New Zealand|politics

NZ First Foundation received horse racing industry donations

11 Feb 05:29 PM
New Zealand|politics

Peters to answer questions about NZ First Foundation via Facebook

11 Feb 07:41 PM
New Zealand|politics

Winston Peters says donors are entitled to anonymity

12 Feb 05:30 AM

"Racing policy, decisions, bills, as with any decision we make, as a Government, goes through considerable scrutiny – no one policy is ever decided by one party, they go through all of us."

In this case, she said, it went before the House and received support from across the House.

Asked if Peters had disclosed how much money the racing industry had given him, Ardern said that it was "no secret to anyone in New Zealand that Winston Peters has a strong knowledge, understanding and long-standing connection to the racing industry".

Ardern said she had not spoken to Peters about the donations.

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