Live politics blog 28 Nov
Peters goes further in 'war' against the press, blames news industry for Auckland lockdown
ROBERT KITCHIN/STUFF
NZ First leader Winston Peters has continued to make baseless allegations against reporters, pushing the National Party into an increasingly uncomfortable position having to defend his position as deputy prime minister.
This morning, Finance Minister Nicola Willis explained Peters' accusations as "a bit of hyperbole". Meanwhile, Peters was doubling down on his attacks.
Speaking to The Country, Peters blamed the news industry for the long lasting second Auckland lockdown.
He asked: "Why did [the media] allow the second dramatic lockdown with only one case in Auckland of our biggest commercial sector in the country in terms of volume and number?”
That second lockdown started while Peters was deputy prime minister, alongside Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
It started on August 12, 2020. In late 2021, Auckland remained locked down through September 2021 to December 2021 - after Peters had left Parliament following the 2020 election.
Peters has also continued to insist that former finance minister Grant Robertson actively undermined him while they were in Cabinet together. Peters alleged Robertson leaked Cabinet information to reporters - a breach of the Cabinet Manual - blaming Peters for rejecting an early proposal of the Public Interest Journalism Fund. Robertson has denied the allegation, calling it "nonsense".
The Public Interest Journalism Fund was a three-year contestable fund made available by the government in 2020 to support news media through the pandemic.
The fund was intended to shore up public interest media and political coverage was exempted from eligibility. As part of the process, applicants were asked to show a commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, including a commitment to te reo Māori. This has proved contentious for some, but does not equate to bribery or corruption, as Peters claims.
This morning, Finance Minister Nicola Willis explained Peters' accusations as "a bit of hyperbole". Meanwhile, Peters was doubling down on his attacks.
Speaking to The Country, Peters blamed the news industry for the long lasting second Auckland lockdown.
He asked: "Why did [the media] allow the second dramatic lockdown with only one case in Auckland of our biggest commercial sector in the country in terms of volume and number?”
That second lockdown started while Peters was deputy prime minister, alongside Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
It started on August 12, 2020. In late 2021, Auckland remained locked down through September 2021 to December 2021 - after Peters had left Parliament following the 2020 election.
Peters has also continued to insist that former finance minister Grant Robertson actively undermined him while they were in Cabinet together. Peters alleged Robertson leaked Cabinet information to reporters - a breach of the Cabinet Manual - blaming Peters for rejecting an early proposal of the Public Interest Journalism Fund. Robertson has denied the allegation, calling it "nonsense".
The Public Interest Journalism Fund was a three-year contestable fund made available by the government in 2020 to support news media through the pandemic.
The fund was intended to shore up public interest media and political coverage was exempted from eligibility. As part of the process, applicants were asked to show a commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, including a commitment to te reo Māori. This has proved contentious for some, but does not equate to bribery or corruption, as Peters claims.