NZ First leader Winston Peters says he expects to be back in Parliament after the election. Photo / Tania Whyte
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters will front a media stand up this afternoon, following a "street corner" meeting at Auckland's Aotea Square.
The public meeting is part of Peters' tour of Auckland today – he spent much of this morning visiting local businesses to shore up his party's support.
The most recent 1News/Colmar Brunton poll has NZ First at 1 per cent – well short of the 5 per cent it needs to get back into Parliament.
Speaking at a debate this week, National's finance spokesman Paul Goldsmith said the debate might be the last time voters will get to see Peters live.
"Sort of like Elton John's farewell tour."
But Peters remains confident that his party will make it back into Parliament come October 17.
Peters is likely to double down on his rhetoric about being a "handbrake on silly ideas" around the Cabinet table.
This has been his main argument during the campaign so far – if re-elected, NZ First would be "insurance" against what Peters has been calling bad ideas.
Peters is also likely to talk about the findings of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) regarding the NZ First Foundation.
The SFO announced that two people are facing charges after a probe into the foundation.
The pair were charged with obtaining by deception but because they have interim name suppression they cannot be named.
The SFO did, however, reveal that neither of those charged was a minister, a sitting MP or a candidate in the upcoming election, a member of their staff or a current member of the NZ First Party.
Peters told reporters that this means that his party has been "exonerated".
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