Carter will do things his way

John Carter will replace Winston Peters as Racing Minister, but he does not want to be seen as following in his footsteps. "I don't want to wear Winston's shoes. I'll wear my own," Mr Carter said yesterday.

Mr Peters was known as "Sir Winston" by the racing industry, such was the regard in which he was held for his reforms during the last parliamentary term.

But his close links to racing and the thousands of dollars of donations Mr Peters' New Zealand First party received from industry heavyweights the Vela brothers over several years caused controversy.

Mr Carter said that if approached with donations he would do what he had done for 21 years and refer the prospective donor to National Party president Judy Kirk.

"If anyone in the racing industry or anywhere else wants to give a donation to the National Party, they've got to do it through the president."

Mr Carter assured the racing industry that Mr Peters' reforms - including topping up stakes with Government money - were safe. He said racing was a $1.4 billion-a-year industry and a "flag bearer" that did a lot to promote the country internationally.