INDEPENDENT NEWS

Which way will Peters go? Does he know?

Published: Tue 6 Sep 2005 09:04 AM
Which way will he go? Does he know?
As speculation mounts about NZ First's post-election coalition intentions, the Green Party says that Winston Peters should treat voters with more respect.
"Mr Peters is putting power ahead of a good policy programme, by saying he'll negotiate with the larger of the major parties," Green Co-Leader Rod Donald says.
"Winston is effectively saying that he doesn't care who out of Helen Clark and Don Brash should be Prime Minister, and Kiwis should be very suspicious of his ambivalence.
"Third parties have a responsibility to declare up front which of the two main parties they'll be supporting after the election. Winston Peters must be true to his supporters by announcing which of the main parties' policies are closer to NZ First's.
"He's treating his supporters like pawns in his power game. NZ First's slump in the polls confirms that Winston is paying the price for refusing to declare his hand. Voters aren't prepared to let him gamble away their votes."
Mr Donald says the NZ First Leader is stuck in 'First Past the Post' thinking.
"With MMP, it's not which major party gets more votes that counts, but which side is larger. This is another example of NZ First looking to the past instead of to the future."

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