Winston Peters: Why we walk alone

Winston Peters

Winston Peters, leader of New Zealand First, explains why he will not enter a coalition government. This is an edited transcript of a speech given yesterday.

"I intended to give a speech about health policy today.

It is a crucial issue which requires much attention.

We have good policy solutions and a proven track record in health.

But I didn't - for one very simple reason.

Because whatever I said on health - the media would only have asked me one question: "Who will you go with?"

It is the question which has beset New Zealand First throughout this election campaign.

We launched our campaign with a focus on five key policy objectives.

We have made no secret of them.

Our seniors policy, our immigration policy, our law and order policy, our treaty policy, our economic plan for working New Zealanders and New Zealand businesses.

But all the media would ask us is: "Who will you go with?"

They have chosen to portray us unfairly as being cynical manipulators because they cannot see the obvious - we don't have a favourite.

For whatever reason, this election is being portrayed as a choice between Labour and National.

While this was always technically wrong - neither would be strong enough - that is nonetheless how the media have driven this campaign.

We have found this difficult because we think there are fundamental failings in both Labour's and National's packages.

But we are realists.

If the electorate clearly chooses one of these over the other - we will accept this.

Let me be clear - we have no preference between them, so we will not be endorsing one over the other.

We do not believe that National have been open and honest about having to borrow and cut government services to pay for their tax cuts and Mr Key and Don Brash have contradicted themselves several times on this matter.

But we also do not favour making welfare recipients out of wage earners - even if it is called tax relief.

We do believe higher wages and cuts in business taxes are called for.

We are also dismayed at the depth of dirty tricks, thoughtless spending promises and the general unpleasantness this campaign has engendered.

And we do think in all this discussion of personal incomes many of the fundamentals have been ignored.

We still have over 180,000 people on hospital waiting lists - tax cuts or more welfare will not fix this. One hundred million dollars over three years, or $33 million extra per year, as National has promised, will have little effect on these waiting lists.

Aspects of our education system are failing - tax cuts or more welfare will not fix this.

Our immigration system is in disrepair - tax cuts and more welfare will not fix this.

We need many more police on our streets - tax cuts and more welfare will not fix this.

Now I could go on - but you get my point.

It is clear there are fundamental failings in both packages - and we certainly do not have a favoured option.

So for this reason I am announcing today that New Zealand First will not be going into a formal coalition with either Labour or National.

We do not think there is sufficient common ground to base a formal coalition on - and we are not prepared to compromise our principles simply to pursue the perks of office.

We are not the desperate lonely hearts of New Zealand politics - looking hopefully and forlornly for a suitor.

Now just to be sure there is no misunderstanding of what I am saying let me be clear - no coalition means just that, it is not a play on words.

There are some important questions which follow from this decision.

Where does this leave New Zealand First?

We will be sitting on the cross benches.

Will New Zealand First oppose supply and confidence to either Labour or National?

No - we will ensure that whoever the voters back to form a government, that government will have stability over the next three years.

How will New Zealand First decide which of the two parties to support?

According to constitutional convention - the party which gains the most seats is the party which must first try and form a government. We will support this constitutional convention in the first instance.

Will New Zealand First hold the government to ransom?

No we will not - we did not do this in the past three years and we will not do this going forward.

How will you resolve policy differences?

We will vote on all legislation issue by issue. We have clearly outlined in our manifesto policy positions on almost all issues - these will guide our voting choices. We will also make all our decisions democratically as a caucus - the way we always have.

On some issues - like a China Free Trade Agreement for example - whoever is in office, will have to look elsewhere for support. We would not bring a government down over these types of issues - but we will be fighting them all the way.

How will New Zealand First have any influence over the next government?

We will not allow any potential minority government to be blackmailed or held to ransom by an extreme party of the Far Left or the Far Right. Or even from within.

New Zealanders are witnessing the sordid courtship of one or the other of the minority parties. First Helen had an outing with Jeanette and then Don had an outing with Peter, having changed venues because Rodney gatecrashed the first one. Have you ever seen such a sorry sight?

No wonder the public have contempt for politicians.

Does this mean that we will stand by and let the Greens blackmail Labour? No. Labour would not need the Greens to govern.

Does this mean we will stand by and let Act hold National to ransom? No. National would not need Act to govern.

There may be circumstances where a group of other parties seek to bring down the minority government by defeating it on a supply and confidence motion.

In this circumstance we will guarantee supply and confidence to ensure stability.

This is not about support for the minority government. This is about stability for the people.

This campaign for us has always been about our policies and achieving certain policy objectives.

It is then for Helen Clark and Don Brash to consider which of these they are prepared to accept.

They of course will need to get a sufficient share of the vote to consider this proposal - but that is their problem, not ours.

Our first policy priority is a dedicated seniors card - our Golden Age Card.

Every senior citizen in New Zealand must know that a party vote for New Zealand First makes this card more of a reality. It is both affordable and necessary.

Our second policy priority relates to immigration.

Every New Zealander needs to know that a vote for New Zealand First is a vote for more secure borders and an immigration programme in New Zealand's interests.

We want a commitment that the next government will move to tighten our lax immigration laws and take the necessary steps to deal with potential threats.

Our third policy priority relates to police numbers and a commitment to explore de-merging traffic officers from the police.

Now even shopkeepers are left chasing criminals down the street. We simply need far greater police numbers, which we have promised.

Our fourth policy priority relates to the Treaty of Waitangi.

Every New Zealander needs to know that New Zealand First is serious about a treaty policy which unites - not divides - New Zealanders.

It has two aspects to it - whichever party forms the next government, my Private Members Bill to delete the so-called principles of the treaty from existing statutes must be able to be debated by the next Parliament and supported at least to the select committee stage, where it can be fully explored.

The second aspect, which we believe are the fundamental failings of both Labour and National's proposals on treaty settlements, is that the Waitangi Tribunal must be restructured into a genuine commission of inquiry, which will shed its politicised agenda and be refocused on resolving legitimate historical grievances.

Our final policy priority relates to our economic plan, which the media has been so reluctant to report on.

Every New Zealand worker and business needs to know that New Zealand First wants to lift us out of the doldrums of a low wage economy and restore our living standards to what we expect.

We will be fighting for - GST off petrol, cutting business taxes, lifting the minimum wage, addressing energy issues and actually developing a genuine export plan. We will also be fighting for increased New Zealand ownership of our infrastructure and key assets.

In addition to these five policy priorities there are certain policies we will not be supporting.

We will always fight against any attempt to sell off state assets and land into foreign control.

We will oppose reduced spending on health, education, on police and defence services and other essential services - including cutting superannuation.

If either party wants to further loosen our moral laws, undermine family values or make constitutional changes - our position is clear.

These issues ought to be decided by referendum not by temporarily empowered politicians.

So let me be absolutely clear - during this election campaign we will not be endorsing one package or the other in relation to Labour or National.

They may have some difficulties with different aspects of our proposal today - it is for the media to ask them and find out.

But politics is all about negotiation and compromise.