Winston Peters: NZ First leader on Prime Minister Luxon calling for MMP reform

Winston Peters has offered up a theory on why the Prime Minister has expressed interest in an MMP referendum.

Chris Luxon said he's like to get a public vote on MMP if National returns to power, alongside a four-year term.

Peters says there will not be any change to our electoral system - and that National's getting desperate because polling's not looking good.

"I've watched their body language and there's a huge stress on them at the moment because of the energy crisis we've got, the fact that we've got delayed recovery...and all those things are stressing them out." 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
The only drive show you can trust truck to ask
the questions, would you get the answers, find a fact
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Speaker 2 (00:16):
Good afternoon. Unfortunately the Prime Minister is not so good
week as really not much better today. He's overshadowed all
the other announcements by promising a referendum on MMP while
he was talking to Kerry Wooden this morning.

Speaker 3 (00:27):
I think we should have definitely a referend him on
the four year term, and I'm open for saying WHI
should we send it back up to New Zealand and
sale still support for him? Would you do that if
you're a prime minister next year? Yeah, I think I would.

Speaker 2 (00:37):
It seems to have come completely out of the blue.
Seems to be news to other National MPs and also
news to his coalition partners, one of whom, of course,
is New Zealand First leader Winston Pete's high Winston, Hello,
A bit of a shock to me, bit of a
shock to you.

Speaker 3 (00:50):
Well, it's inexplicable why the prime minists would say that,
given that you know we've had MMP since nine ninety
three as a choice, and the public enforced that in
twenty eleven. The two old parties I know, never liked
the system being changed, but at the time it was
running rough shot over at the economy and over the

(01:11):
people's social license, and that's why we had a dramatic
change in our country. And there's no going back.

Speaker 2 (01:17):
I mean, this is a bit of a nonsense, isn't it.
There's no way that we're going back to Like if
this was put to us, which I don't think ever
will happen. We're not going to go back to FPP.

Speaker 3 (01:26):
Are we No, we're not. But the point is, why
did the Prime Minister of all people say this close
to an election for goodness sake?

Speaker 2 (01:33):
Well, you work with him. Why do you think he
why do you think he said it?

Speaker 3 (01:38):
Well, I can't explain everybody's motivations, but I kind of
think that the polls aren't looking good for the Prime
Minister and there's this sense of desperation. That's the reality
of it all, and you and your listeners can read that.

Speaker 2 (01:51):
So do you think this is is this desperation or
is this just him riffing and he's got he's got
history of riffing and sort of saying silly things. Is
that what this is?

Speaker 1 (02:00):
No?

Speaker 3 (02:00):
I think that. You know, I watched people's body language,
and I watched my opponents, and I watched my allies
and my colleagues. I watched their body language. And there's
a huge stress on at the moment because we know
of the energy crisis, we have got the factors, we
have delayed recovery. There's a recovery on, but it's delayed,
and all those things are stressing out. And you know,
some of these people haven't been around long enough to

(02:22):
understand what stress looks like in this game.

Speaker 2 (02:25):
When he refers to working with some Yahoo and numpty
in cabinet, what is he referring to, Well.

Speaker 3 (02:32):
He claimed not to be referring to any current cabinet members.
Are you you riddled me that?

Speaker 2 (02:39):
Okay? Now, the stress that he's under at the moment,
is this a national party stress or is this a
Chris Luxeon personally in the role of National party leader stress?

Speaker 3 (02:49):
Both?

Speaker 2 (02:50):
What's going on with him as leader?

Speaker 3 (02:53):
Yes?

Speaker 2 (02:54):
Now, what's going on?

Speaker 3 (02:55):
Well, let's well, let's not carry ourselves. And if you're
looking at those poles at the moment and you have
to have a plan to turn this thing around, and
they don't appear to you. From the national point of view,
I can see and understand why this prenetic behavior and
inexpelcicable statements like this happen.

Speaker 2 (03:15):
What's going on between you guys though, like the fact.

Speaker 3 (03:18):
That you are, well, we're getting on, but we're getting on. Look, look,
cont the key thing in this business is that people
are determined and been between elections that we have a government.
And that's the number one obligation of all the colleges
and partners. It's a make sure we've got to sound
government all the way to election, before and after it. Now,

(03:38):
that doesn't alter the thing. There's nothing like collapsing down
between each of us. It's all working. People want consistency.
They want to know that their democracy is working. Even
though they didn't vote for us with the party or
the government, they still want there to be consistency of
between elections and we're delivering that.

Speaker 2 (03:58):
So it's not a concern, okay, is the fact that you,
I mean, you've been around a really long time, Winstone,
longer than anybody else there, and so you know better
than anybody else.

Speaker 3 (04:07):
Done No, No, everybody wants to live a long age
in theys demonstrating respect.

Speaker 2 (04:13):
Demonstrating respect. But when I mean your longevity, the fact
that you have been there for a long time means
that you better than anybody else. Know that if you
start commenting like you just have on his leadership, it
ratchets up the pressure. Are you doing that deliberately?

Speaker 3 (04:28):
No? I've been asked by the media what do I
think of this comment? And as it comes out of
left field with no authority from the collage and government
at all, I'm asking myself why did he sad? And
it's the mainstream media and you ask me why I've
got a view? And I've got a view because at
the time I saw the disastrous near level experiment under
Roger and Ice, then Ruth the noomics, and the people
said we've had enough. That's how we end up with

(04:50):
their menp.

Speaker 2 (04:50):
Yeah, totally. But yeah, but you didn't have to say
it's about his personal desperation, which you did. So are
you deliberately ratcheting up the pressure on him?

Speaker 3 (04:58):
No? I'm just making that honest comment based on my judgment,
and I'm not being arrogant here, but I think I'm.

Speaker 2 (05:03):
Right, okay. And just finally, if it comes to it
in coalition negotiations post November seven, and he goes right,
let's have a referendum on MMP, your answer is what no? Okay? Winston,
Thanks very much, appreciate your time, Winston Peters, New Zealand
First Leader.

Speaker 1 (05:19):
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