Treaty Principles Bill voted down at its second reading and Trump claims he wants new trade deals with all countries, including China. Video / NZ Herald, AFP
Opinion by Ryan Bridge
Ryan Bridge is Newstalk ZB's Early Edition host and the host of Herald NOW.
The American company Colossal Bioscience may want to collect and freeze DNA from a rare and dying species Downunder: the competent politician.
It claimed this week to have revived or “de-extincted” the dire wolf, a scary-looking predator that roamed the Americas hunting prey during the IceAge 100,00 years ago. Cutting-edge gene technology was used to produce a hybrid of the animal made famous by the TV series Game of Thrones.
The result? Three cute cubs with white hair and larger skulls than their modern grey wolf cousins.
A 3-month old dire wolf at Colossal Biosciences. Photo / Colossal Biosciences
Winston Peters, who turned 80 this week, is the most sensible candidate for future de-extinction.
The veteran political animal stands in sharp contrast to the litter of younger members opposite who lack the stamina, discipline and large skull required to successfully lead a pack.
Conveniently, despite his age, Peters still has a full head of hair from which to extract a lock for DNA editing purposes.
While MPs closer to my age fail to regularly attend work, misunderstand Parliament’s Standing Orders and seem more interested DJing in keffiyehs for TikTok, Winston Peters is having a bit of a moment.
New Zealand First hit new heights in this week’s TVNZ political poll (not that he likes them), up 2% to 7%. It’s their best result since before the 2017 general election.
For the first time ever, Peters also polled above 10% as preferred Prime Minister in the Taxpayer’s Union Curia result. Not just hitting 10% but rocketing past it, up 4.2 points to 12.8%.
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters arriving for his media conference regarding Green Party MP Benjamin Doyle at Parliament, Wellington on March 31. Photo / Mark Mitchell
That’s 70% of the support Opposition leader Chris Hipkins garnered.
In times of global tumult, it’s nice to have an adult with experience doing the business abroad.
It’s a fine line to walk between two sumo-wrestling superpowers in the middle of a trade war, but Peters has masterfully forged the relationships, most recently reconnecting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi over two days in Beijing before heading to Washington to see well-known China hawk Marco Rubio last month.
It was Winston who convinced Rosemary Banks to return to her former post as Ambassador to the United States. Banks is a highly regarded and experienced diplomat with crucial contacts in the Republican Party. The appointment was made before Trump won the election last year, something Peters saw coming and prepared us for.
As a small country, the last thing we need is politicians grandstanding on the world stage pretending they can influence Donald Trump. Imagine what Phil Goff would have said if he was Foreign Minister given the ill-fated comments he was willing to make as a diplomat at London’s Chatham House.
As Foreign Minister under Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Peters has visited more than 40 countries, from Peru to Poland, and is currently leading a delegation to Tonga, Vanuatu and Hawaii.
Could the cubs even find them on a map?
Domestically, he’s led a DEI pushback, opposed puberty blockers and persecuted Green Party MP Benjamin Doyle. These pages in Peters’ extensive playbook are less appealing to the masses but necessary under MMP to attract votes from every possible political nook and cranny.
Peters scoops up votes like an octopus at a buffet – lots of small slivers are needed to hit the magic 5% threshold. He knows better than anyone the electoral danger minor parties face after a term in government.
However, Winston’s success is also predicated on the electorate having short memories.
To the outrage of those on the right, Peters’ anointed former Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern despite Labour’s inferior election result and her limited leadership experience.
The sex education guidelines New Zealand First now rails against are the same ones former MP Tracey Martin originally introduced as Associate Education Minister in 2020.
They signed off the oil and gas ban but now chant: “Drill, baby, drill!” Same goes for DEI guidelines in the Public Service Act. And as for campaigning to pull out of the Paris Accord? New Zealand First’s coalition agreement with Labour called for the introduction of the Zero Carbon Act and establishment of the Climate Change Commission.
A chameleonic nature is essential to surviving almost half a century in politics.
On May 31, we’ll witness the great political evolution from statesman to ruthless campaigner as David Seymour taps into the Deputy PM role and Peters readies for a fight.
We got a glimpse this week of how messy that could become for Luxon when, after announcing on Thursday he’d be seeking commitments from CPTPP and EU leaders to band together on free trade, Peters said this:
“What would you talk about [with other leaders]? What’s the tariff regime going to be in the end? Do we know what that’s going to be? No ... What would you actually talk about? Think about it.”
No matter your political persuasion, you’ve got to admire the sheer will and stamina of Parliament’s most seasoned member, especially when contrasted with that of the new generation. Worth bottling and saving that DNA for a future in which it might be even more scarce – not that, even at 80, Peters is showing any signs of slowing down.
