Rt Hon Winston Peters, New Zealand First Leader
“This has got to be ‘amateur hour’ or can’t be true,” says Leader of New Zealand First Rt Hon Winston Peters in response to National’s Deputy Leader Paula Bennett’s announcement today.
“Paula Bennett having shot through from Waitakere to get the safe seat of Upper Harbour, has now decided she doesn’t want to stand for the electorate and is giving the excuse she is needed to organise the National Party’s campaign in 2020.
“What qualifications to run a campaign has she got? During most of the campaign management in 2017, she hardly covered herself in glory.
“This decision is so that the National Party can axe her prior to coalition negotiations in 2020, after they’ve realised that Vernon Tava and his planned Sustainability New Zealand Party is a headless chook, albeit being fed organics,” Mr Peters said.
