Winston Peters chose to stay away from last night’s minor party leaders debate because Bill English and Jacinda Ardern weren’t taking part. Peters was subjected to a lot of criticism.
But even though he didn’t front up some journalists still promoted him.
From NZH Minor Party leaders’ debate: The verdicts are in
Audrey Young:
Winston Peters’ boycott denied the public a chance to see that he is still well up to it and denied himself the chance to answers Shaw’s attacks.
Peters wasn’t up to participating in the debate, so this is a strange promotion of him in his absence.
Old school journalists seem to be obsessed with Peters and keeping his election chances alive.
A significantly younger Toby Manhire had a different view:
The NZ First leader might have wiped the floor, but he spurned the prime-time invitation, as he did in the last similar televised debate. He’s a “bad date”, said Shaw, in the funniest line of the night, but Peters wasn’t there to bite back.
Winner: James Shaw
Loser: Winston Peters
Soper and Young might try to vote for Peters even though he isn’t in their electorate.
They and others keep giving Peters a free media ride, including promoting him as ‘kingmaker’. Given that it’s possible that Peters ends up with far more power than he deserves from voting levels, where is the media examination of his key policies, and what he might demand in a coalition?
Peters has the worst reputation of reliability of any MP under MMP, but old journos perhaps with an eye to their own gold cards keep giving him disproportionate coverage and grossly inadequate holding to account.
Your NZ 
PDB
/ 9th September 2017Gower especially made himself look stupid by trying to inject Winston questions into the 2nd leaders TV debate.
Gezza
/ 9th September 2017To be fair, that’s only one of the many ways he pursues the ‘look stupid’ objective, from what I’ve seen of him.
sorethumb
/ 9th September 2017Nice country, shame about the racism
http://www.listener.co.nz/commentary/the-internaut/new-zealand-racism-immigration-tourism-blogger
Another blogging visitor to New Zealand has expressed alarm at the current of casual racism in the country.
By Toby Manhire In The Internaut
sorethumb
/ 9th September 2017In other words Manhire is a an open border liberal.
Pete Kane
/ 9th September 2017Winston may have been busy investigating this. ‘Perfect’ timing.
http://www.msn.com/en-nz/money/homeandproperty/john-key-sells-home-to-offshore-buyer/ar-AArwkco?li=AAaeXZz&ocid=spartanntp
PDB
/ 9th September 2017How is this relevant to the current election?
Blazer
/ 9th September 2017it explains Nationals vested self interest in ramping house prices.
Pete Kane
/ 9th September 2017Perception Pants.
sorethumb
/ 9th September 2017And I always thought what was happening in the opposition of politics (of course they would oppose National, that’s their job actually apart from everything else) but it was a bit negative about our place in the world. So we played a bit about whether people coming here was a good or bad thing whether people should invest here was a good or bad thing, or whether we have a trade agreement with parts of Asia was a good or bad thing, but actually in my mind, the reason that I want to say yes to those things is because they are the opportunities that reflect our opportunities to both get wealthier (which is all about what you can do with that money) and then ultimately the opportunities for Kiwis. I’d like New Zealanders to feel (after my time as Prime Minister) they have become more confident outward looking nation more multicultural.
http://www.3news.co.nz/David-Cunliffe-blames-migrants-for-housing-crisis/tabid/1607/articleID/345855/Default.aspx#ixzz33jj2pF7w
Works for some!?
Corky
/ 9th September 2017I guess Wiston didn’t want to be percieved as, or seen with, losers. As are most of these minor parties.
PDB
/ 9th September 2017He is running scared of David Seymore & doesn’t want to debate him.
Blazer
/ 9th September 2017Seymour is National’s….why bark yourself when you own….a dog.
Pete George
/ 9th September 2017Are the Greens puppies of Labour?
Blazer
/ 9th September 2017No.
Pete George
/ 9th September 2017Labour have a supposedly very close ‘favoured party’ relationship with the Greens. They are even taking on some of their policies already – ones they see no election risk in. How many are they saving for after the election?
Blazer
/ 9th September 2017@Pete M.O.U expires election day.Maori have a ‘favoured’ relationship with National,but plenty of…differences….what sweeteners will the Govt offer before E day?
Pete George
/ 9th September 2017Th MP relationship with National is nothing like the MoU. And Ardern keeps reaffirming she will keep her word and talk to the greens first after the election, nothing like that between MP and National. Nor between ACT and National for that matter.
PDB
/ 9th September 2017Apart from attacking Winston Seymour seems to attack National on a regular basis.
Blazer
/ 9th September 2017Keeps the issues the extreme right hold dear,and his relevance as an influence in Govt.
sorethumb
/ 9th September 2017High rises for Epsom.
Pete George
/ 9th September 2017There’s a good chance of three of the four leaders in the debate returning as MPs.
Gezza
/ 9th September 2017Has anybody else noticed that whenever someone riles Winston up he gets all flustered, forgets their names, and ends up calling them all Sunshine? 😳
blairmulholland
/ 10th September 2017All those guys go on the piss with Winston, which is probably the one overriding reason he has survived so long. Never underestimate Green Parrot diplomacy in dealing with journos.