Winston Peters accosted by stranger during media conference. Video / NZ Herald
The incidents of the coalition talks
David Seymour: “An incident with Gillette”
A graze on Seymour’s face sparked some speculation that an old feud between Seymour and Peters had come to reality. In July 2020, Seymour took aim at Peters’ stand on immigration, saying Peters could well need migrant workers:“Peters himself will soon be retired and will require a care worker to help him get dressed and go for a walk.”
Act Party leader David Seymour with his shaving cut (or is it?) outside Auckland's Pullman hotel on Wednesday. Photo / Alex Burton
Peters responded on social media, saying he could take Seymour in the boxing ring: “There would be three hits. You hitting me, me hitting you and the ambulance hitting 100.”
Alas, it was not a physical ruction over some perceived injustice in their respective deals. Seymour admitted he’d cut himself shaving. Or, as he put it: “There was an incident with Gillette.”
He added a wee troll of Luxon’s bald head, saying it had given him a new appreciation for Luxon’s shaving skill: “I only have to shave my face.”
Winston Peters: An incident with dog slobber
One of Winston Peters’ indeterminate number of redeeming features is his love of dogs.
On Wednesday, Winston Peters was not interested in speaking to the media after his meeting at the Pullman Hotel, but he did have to drive past them in his black BMW. His black lab, Kobe, often sits in the back seat and clearly likes to feel the breeze blowing through his lips: there was a large patch of dog drool under the window. Beehive Diaries pointed it out to Peters. By the time the BMW re-emerged that night, it was gone.
As Peters spoke to media after a Friday meeting, a very happy man bowled up, greeted him and gave him a hug. Peters is not a hugger. “Hey, hey, hey,” he said “We’re not the Labour Party.”
Chris Bishop: An incident with a scooter, a phone, a coffee and a satchel
Bishop posted the sorry saga of his efforts to balance a phone, a coffee and his satchel on a scooter while trying to make it up to the Cordis in time for National’s coalition talks.
Bishop told Beehive Diaries the coffee was liberally splattered on his shirt and jacket. It’s not a state to meet Winston Peters in. So in a break between meetings, he escaped to purchase new clothing.
Andrew Campbell departs
A morning tea was held on Tuesday to farewell Labour’s chief press secretary, Andrew Campbell, who must be one of the longest-lasting chief press secretaries in modern politics - and he appeared to love it.
The respected Campbell was press secretary for former PM Jacinda Ardern as well as Chris Hipkins. A fond message from Ardern was read out in which she wryly noted it was not easy being her media manager, given her response to most media requests was one word: “no.”
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says no to the media, as Andrew Campbell walks beside her. Photo / Mark Mitchell
It made Campbell a valuable figure in Ardern’s office: the person who talked media through background on the Government’s programme and reasons behind Ardern’s decisions, and effectively spoke for her.
Campbell was also subjected to affectionate mockery for various mishaps along the way – by Ardern and Hipkins, and the media. A kind soul, Campbell occasionally tried out being angry, but invariably was guilt-stricken about it almost immediately afterwards.
Campbell will have a break overseas before finding a new venture and we at Beehive Diaries wish him a long sleep, no media inquiries and very happy travels.
Strong and stable?
Luxon’s regular Wellington coffee stop clearly has its doubts about the Act-Nat-NZ First arrangement – and wanted Luxon to know it. The Cellarvate’s chalkboard this week had this message written on it: “‘Strong and stable’ are not the words I’d use, Chris.”
Sign outside Cellarvate Cafe in Wellington. Photo / Thomas Coughlan
It was the same cafe Luxon used to highlight the perils of Labour’s increases to the minimum wage in April 2021. Luxon posted from the cafe after seeing a notice advising prices were going up to pay for the wage bill.
Thanks
A thanks to the Cordis Hotel, one of the MVPs of the coalition talks.
On Thursday and Friday, the talks were held at Auckland’s Cordis Hotel. The hotel was very welcoming of its new squatters outside (and sometimes inside, where the bar offered working spaces and other benefits).
As dinnertime came around, the hotel sent pizzas out to feed the hungry journalists, who were stuck there until Luxon emerged at 9pm.
Meanwhile at Apec
While China’s President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden were making peace with pandas, New Zealand’s substitute for a PM, Damien O’Connor, was having a grand old time in San Francisco.
Trade Minister Damien O'Connor (right) with Canada's PM Justin Trudeau (left) and Australia's PM Anthony Albanese at Apec in San Francisco this week. Photo / Supplied, Damien O'Connor
O’Connor was bonding with Australia’s PM Anthony Albanese and Canada’s Justin Trudeau. The three of them stayed on at an Apec reception long after the rest of the leaders left to watch Gwen Stefani perform.
