Comrades,
I rolled my eyes when that NZ "Kingmaker" Winston Peters was quoted as saying last week that he wouldn't make up his mind up on whether to cast his lot in with Labour or National to form a minority Govt. in the Land of the Long White Cloud "until October" after their recent exercise in the Miracle of Democracy resulted in a stalemate.
When it became apparent that he would hold the balance of power, he said that he "won't be testing the water with both feet" and accused all other politicians of talking "bulldust".
It'll be weeks, even months, before our Cuz across the Tasman have a Govt.
In the meantime, Boring As Batshit Bill's still running the shop as Caretaker PM and it's business as usual.
Me and Winston go back a long way.
He's been in The Beehive for 38 years - on & off - after being elected 14 times, resigning from Parliament once, and losing twice, both the subject of litigation - or something or another like that - it's too hard to keep track of this crazy.
Sheesh...I'm old enough to clearly remember working as a journo in the 2GB & 2UE newsrooms in Sydney way back when and the news editor would cast a desultory morning eye over the day's newspapers, press calls, court lists, public speeches, doings in the big end of town and the halls of power etc etc etc and start barking orders.
"Jesus!" they would shout "that fuckin' Mad Maori is in town again. Craves! [and it was always me] Go and tail the tool, and don't come back until you've got a good quote".
It was never that hard because Winston could always be goaded into saying something completely ridiculous, or spruik some wild idea that was clean outta left field at the minimum.
Winston has been the self-styled de-facto Maori political leader of the country since he was sacked as Maori Affairs Minister by PM Jim Bolger for being a buffoon in '91 and he's never looked back, eventually giving Jim the stink finger, and forming the populist centre-right New Zealand First Party.
And he's been running that party without a single public challenger for the top job for 24 years.
You have to be controversial and cantankerous and in a constant running battle with your enemies in the press to do that.
It's a very strange electoral system indeed - and no wonder there are calls for major change - when Winston can still hold the balance of power after mustering little more than a mere 7% of the popular vote and losing his own constituent seat of Northland [but was elected to the "list"] and losing two of his "list seats" to go down from 11 to 9 seats in a 120 seat Parliament [which, by the way, is way way too many anyway for their relatively tiny population].
Never mind the complete annihilation of the official Maori Party, who lost both their seats, falling below the 5% popular vote threshold.
WTF!?
You call that democratic?
Has Winston gamed the system or is it just an unforeseen quirk, a lucky break, whatever, something's seriously wrong there.
The Dude's been in coalition with both Labour and his natural home in National before now, it's been that long - he's more than happy to flip-flop when it suits him - and you can see as plain as day that he's angling for the Deputy Prime Ministership [again?!] but neither of the main party's are buying it, because, put simply, he's a nut job.
Don't get me wrong, I've got time for the bloke -- there's no doubt at all about Winston - he's got enormous amount of front and that innate ability to stop a room when he walks in by his good looks, charm, terrific facial gestures, melodious voice...just the way he holds himself...but whenever he opens his mouth he's more than likely to shoot it off.
As a former lawyer, he firmly believes in "law and order" and loves the welfare state, particularly pensioners, but most of his economic policies are way off the map and generally isolationist
And he's far right out there with the Senator for Qld Pauline Hanson; he wants to keep the Kiwi race pure, and doesn't like NZ being invaded and taken over by wogs, spics, slopes, and now muzzies...you can only really be born a New Zealander...and that's that...just don't call me racist, white boy...
"I'm putting it to you and to all of my critics, if you can find any Asian leader in any Asian country of whatever political persuasion who doesn't subscribe to the immigration views of New Zealand First, then name that person now. None of you can, all the way to Turkey."
This time around on the campaign trail he claimed "there are more foreign chefs coming into this country than New Zealand has restaurants".
He promised to apologise to Australia for previous Govts. allowing so many illegal immigrants to sneak in via the back door through NZ.
But, in a press conference after the election he asked a journalist: "where are you from?"..."Australia"..."it shows".
Enough said.
National hate him with a passion, but he's likely to go with them anyway if he gets the right deal to preserve the time honoured Kiwi tradition of maintaining the status quo, and Labour has already got into bed with the fast-fading Greens, but also still need Winston to form Govt.
At 72 years of age, Winston will most probably say that Labour's Jacinda Arden, at 37, needs time leading in Opposition to prove her fettle.
Or he might just go right outta left field once again, flip the baby boomers the bird, give the young-un a run, and see how she goes.
Unlikely, but who knows, when it comes to the Rt. Hon. Winston Peters?
However, first and foremost, he's clearly loving every minute of being back in the limelight after having been politically sidelined for almost a decade.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Asz262IFqBA
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/watch-next-question-belligerent-winston-peters-has-press-pack-in-stitches-after-shutting-down-aussie-reporter
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