April 19, 2026 • 5 mins
Yesterday New Zealand First announced a campaign policy to break up New Zealand's supermarket duopoly.
Woolworths and Foodstuffs currently control over 80 percent of the grocery market.
NZ First leader Winston Peters told Mike Hosking he isn't pursuing this now because, "the National Party is not for it, the ACT Party is not for it. I mean, they've got their policies which are to stagger on with the Commerce Commission that's not working."
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
The supermarket's now part of the election campaign. New Zealand
first will break up the dewopoly. They will split foodstuffs
into a couple of competing brands, one for you will
the other pack and say that would put them in competition,
of course with Woolworths and Winston Peters is with us
on that's very good morning to you.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Good morning, you have a good weekend, Yes, thank you.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
Good No bottom lines, I take it this isn't the
bottom line.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Well no, it's not a bottom line. It's just common sense,
faintly and we should have done it years ago.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Yeah, we should have. Why aren't you doing it now
while you're in government.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Because of their part because the National Party is not
for it. That party is not for it. I mean
they've got their policies which are to stagger on with
the Commission Commerce Commission. That's not working. The Air Party's
policy was the Groceriy's commissioner, which is a totally toothless tiger.
And we need to do something dramatically like they did
in Australia.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
But what about Nicholas, she's she's she didn't like the
supermarket to be a better word with her.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Well, you know, sooner or later you are into campaign.
We're six months away from the election, and if it
hasn't happened now, then perhaps we should put it in
the Zeran people and tell them to give us the tools.
We will finish the job.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Problem with it is and you know this, and this
is the MMP and the problem with it if you
don't make it a bottom line, it may or may
not survive. And that's just life, isn't it.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Well, look, when you say that sort of thing, I've
had parties with the bottom lines and frankly, whichland have worked.
We don't go in with bottom lines. We go and
to get the maximum amount of votes, to get the
max amount of influenceer do things and change things. And
that's what we're seeking to do now. We worked really hard.
We've kept ourselves focused on the real issues in this country.
The poles are arising for us and this is going to
(01:39):
be a seminal infection election, make no bones about it.
You you don't have to decide whether they're going to
go with the two old parties that have staggered on
with Tonya for forty years and we're going to do
something dramatically new.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
Well, when you say the old parties. You can't do
your friends nationals, your friends. What are you talking about?
Your government?
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Excuse me, excuse me. I'm the only guys that have
been expelled from the National Party.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
Yeah, not this nation.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
You know that. You know that, don't you?
Speaker 1 (02:01):
Of course I do.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
But right, we have to go. Despite all those circumstances,
all the personalities involved, the public expect us to provide
a stable government, but stable government doing sound things.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
The grocery commissioner, does he stay? And if he or
she stays, do they get more powers? Because as you say,
they are point it's pointless.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Well, if the Grocery's commissions to stage, he or she
is going to have the hy dramatically new powers with
speed and decision, so that when they find things go wrong,
that happens. The change happens within twenty four hours, not
twenty four years.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
And what about the Commerce Commission? Do they have enough
power to do anything? Or have they got the power?
They just don't want to do anything.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Well, no, they haven't got the power. And thank the
sad thing about these veellers. We've got so many bodies
like that, the Banker's Commission, all these things are put
up to blindside the opponents of capitalism. Well, then what
I might call the Unbrital face of capitalism and not
change things. And we want to see this country change
in the sense that you know, in a former time
(03:03):
of with half the population, we were a number one
in the world.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
What all right, lux and what should he do? Should
he quit?
Speaker 2 (03:13):
I know, you know I can't answer that sort of question.
Why not?
Speaker 1 (03:16):
Why not?
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Well, because I've got no influence on that issue whatsoever.
It's not my role to start saying what other parties do.
My job is to focus, like you know, and then
therefore on what my party's doing and how we're going
to do things that were going forward, not talk about
other pelical parties because in the indi end, the masters
of that decision are the people that have listened to
your various station.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
Now, but what would you say if you were the
leader of it? I mean that he's got white ants
in there. I mean one of the things he did,
and you've got to credit him with this, is he
tidied the party up disciplinarily speaking, and now they're white anting,
And what would you do with that?
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Oh? Look, they've always been white? Answer and the political
parties I can recall coming to Parliament way back in
the seventies and Hardy arrive. Then some of my colleagues
who were in the ten, you know, the ten that
they got elect that year. We're conspiring against then prime minister.
And I thought myself, even been here for five minutes,
you don't know what dad is. Why are you pardon
(04:13):
parcel or sort of talk about getting rid of the
prime minister? But it's been going on for years, of.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
Course it has. But you're adjacent to this in the
sense you're in an arrangement with these people, and this
looks bad for the lot of you, doesn't. I mean,
it's not your fault, but I mean it's just we
got bigger things to think about, haven't we.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Look, everything you've said is right, but it's not my
job to say And how do how long would this
conversation go if I started saying what other parties should
do about their leaders?
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Now that is well, I get that part. But my
question is if lux and quit, is that the end
of the coalition deal? In the sense that you, being
a lawyer, you would go, well, hold on, I didn't
sign up to this. We're out.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
No, no, no to someone who us to quit. That
is their choice. After all, at the end of the day,
no one is required to sort of do the distance.
If they're for medical reasons, for family reasons, for the
reasons they would have quit, you'd have to shift that.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Yeah, but what about for stabbing in the back reasons?
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Well, right about then, Mike, he's not quitting easy.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Well, no, he's being assassinated. Yes, it's exact. But if
he gets assassinated, do you pull the pin on the coalition?
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Ah? No, no, no, no, no, I'll discussed off. Sorry. Look,
I'm focusing on what required in this selection and we
are going to go out there and turn these damn
poles upside down because the country district needs and then
if we don't win, this country's going to be a nightmare.
So we've got a big enough shungners than worrying about
who temporary needs a national party.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
Well, so appreciate it very much, Winston Peter, send you
it'll be fun. For more from the Mic Asking Breakfast,
listen live to news talks.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
It'd be from six am weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
The supermarket's now part of the election campaign. New Zealand
first will break up the dewopoly. They will split foodstuffs
into a couple of competing brands, one for you will
the other pack and say that would put them in competition,
of course with Woolworths and Winston Peters is with us
on that's very good morning to you.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Good morning, you have a good weekend, Yes, thank you.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
Good No bottom lines, I take it this isn't the
bottom line.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Well no, it's not a bottom line. It's just common sense,
faintly and we should have done it years ago.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Yeah, we should have. Why aren't you doing it now
while you're in government.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Because of their part because the National Party is not
for it. That party is not for it. I mean
they've got their policies which are to stagger on with
the Commission Commerce Commission. That's not working. The Air Party's
policy was the Groceriy's commissioner, which is a totally toothless tiger.
And we need to do something dramatically like they did
in Australia.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
But what about Nicholas, she's she's she didn't like the
supermarket to be a better word with her.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Well, you know, sooner or later you are into campaign.
We're six months away from the election, and if it
hasn't happened now, then perhaps we should put it in
the Zeran people and tell them to give us the tools.
We will finish the job.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Problem with it is and you know this, and this
is the MMP and the problem with it if you
don't make it a bottom line, it may or may
not survive. And that's just life, isn't it.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Well, look, when you say that sort of thing, I've
had parties with the bottom lines and frankly, whichland have worked.
We don't go in with bottom lines. We go and
to get the maximum amount of votes, to get the
max amount of influenceer do things and change things. And
that's what we're seeking to do now. We worked really hard.
We've kept ourselves focused on the real issues in this country.
The poles are arising for us and this is going to
(01:39):
be a seminal infection election, make no bones about it.
You you don't have to decide whether they're going to
go with the two old parties that have staggered on
with Tonya for forty years and we're going to do
something dramatically new.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
Well, when you say the old parties. You can't do
your friends nationals, your friends. What are you talking about?
Your government?
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Excuse me, excuse me. I'm the only guys that have
been expelled from the National Party.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
Yeah, not this nation.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
You know that. You know that, don't you?
Speaker 1 (02:01):
Of course I do.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
But right, we have to go. Despite all those circumstances,
all the personalities involved, the public expect us to provide
a stable government, but stable government doing sound things.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
The grocery commissioner, does he stay? And if he or
she stays, do they get more powers? Because as you say,
they are point it's pointless.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Well, if the Grocery's commissions to stage, he or she
is going to have the hy dramatically new powers with
speed and decision, so that when they find things go wrong,
that happens. The change happens within twenty four hours, not
twenty four years.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
And what about the Commerce Commission? Do they have enough
power to do anything? Or have they got the power?
They just don't want to do anything.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Well, no, they haven't got the power. And thank the
sad thing about these veellers. We've got so many bodies
like that, the Banker's Commission, all these things are put
up to blindside the opponents of capitalism. Well, then what
I might call the Unbrital face of capitalism and not
change things. And we want to see this country change
in the sense that you know, in a former time
(03:03):
of with half the population, we were a number one
in the world.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
What all right, lux and what should he do? Should
he quit?
Speaker 2 (03:13):
I know, you know I can't answer that sort of question.
Why not?
Speaker 1 (03:16):
Why not?
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Well, because I've got no influence on that issue whatsoever.
It's not my role to start saying what other parties do.
My job is to focus, like you know, and then
therefore on what my party's doing and how we're going
to do things that were going forward, not talk about
other pelical parties because in the indi end, the masters
of that decision are the people that have listened to
your various station.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
Now, but what would you say if you were the
leader of it? I mean that he's got white ants
in there. I mean one of the things he did,
and you've got to credit him with this, is he
tidied the party up disciplinarily speaking, and now they're white anting,
And what would you do with that?
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Oh? Look, they've always been white? Answer and the political
parties I can recall coming to Parliament way back in
the seventies and Hardy arrive. Then some of my colleagues
who were in the ten, you know, the ten that
they got elect that year. We're conspiring against then prime minister.
And I thought myself, even been here for five minutes,
you don't know what dad is. Why are you pardon
(04:13):
parcel or sort of talk about getting rid of the
prime minister? But it's been going on for years, of.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
Course it has. But you're adjacent to this in the
sense you're in an arrangement with these people, and this
looks bad for the lot of you, doesn't. I mean,
it's not your fault, but I mean it's just we
got bigger things to think about, haven't we.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Look, everything you've said is right, but it's not my
job to say And how do how long would this
conversation go if I started saying what other parties should
do about their leaders?
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Now that is well, I get that part. But my
question is if lux and quit, is that the end
of the coalition deal? In the sense that you, being
a lawyer, you would go, well, hold on, I didn't
sign up to this. We're out.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
No, no, no to someone who us to quit. That
is their choice. After all, at the end of the day,
no one is required to sort of do the distance.
If they're for medical reasons, for family reasons, for the
reasons they would have quit, you'd have to shift that.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Yeah, but what about for stabbing in the back reasons?
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Well, right about then, Mike, he's not quitting easy.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Well, no, he's being assassinated. Yes, it's exact. But if
he gets assassinated, do you pull the pin on the coalition?
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Ah? No, no, no, no, no, I'll discussed off. Sorry. Look,
I'm focusing on what required in this selection and we
are going to go out there and turn these damn
poles upside down because the country district needs and then
if we don't win, this country's going to be a nightmare.
So we've got a big enough shungners than worrying about
who temporary needs a national party.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
Well, so appreciate it very much, Winston Peter, send you
it'll be fun. For more from the Mic Asking Breakfast,
listen live to news talks.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
It'd be from six am weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
Popular Podcasts
Hey Jonas!
Hey Jonas! The official Jonas Brothers podcast. Hosted by Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas. It’s the Jonas Brothers you know... musicians, actors, and well, yes, brothers. Now, they’re sharing another side of themselves in the playful, intimate, and irreverent way only they can. Spend time with the Jonas Brothers here and stay a little bit longer for deep conversations like never before.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com