Paul Little: Waking up to Winston the day after

What Winston can do for the region, given the numbers in Parliament, remains to be seen. Photo / Getty Images

Northland's head felt very fuzzy. That had been quite a party - what she could remember of it. Gradually it came back to her. Those guys from Auckland were sleazing all over her and she had been glad to see the last of them and that handbrake local mate of theirs.

She'd dodged a few bullets, or more likely blanks. But if she hadn't ended up going home with any of them, why could she hear snoring? Fearing the worst, she slowly rolled over and ... Oh, God, what had she done?

Otherwise sane people, desperate for an alternative to the cynical populist Government of John Key, have been bowled over by cynical populist Winston Peters' charisma and celebrated the return of personality to politics.

But personality, as in the case of David Lange, the most overrated prime minister of the 20th century, can cover up an awful lot of underachieving.

Fewer than 25 hours after a stunning victory, Winston was up to his old petulant antics in a way that made the Australian cricket team look like models of decorum and good sportsmanship.

TV One's Q+A wanted him to go on TV and, unsurprisingly, he was happy to do so. They also wanted to discuss the election result with National's Steven Joyce and Mark Osborne, who'd had a bit to do with it. Winston didn't like that and threatened to pull out. He actually said: "I've had this all through the campaign."

He forgot that democracy involves other people. Everyone has a voice and has a right to be heard and what the losers have to say in a hotly-contested byelection like this - especially when those losers are the ones running the country - needs to be heard.

And he began playing what on past form could be the first of many guessing games, by dangling the possibility of not replacing himself by bringing another New Zealand First list MP into Parliament, on the grounds that New Zealand First policy supports a smaller Parliament.

But although he'd probably be the first to agree he's irreplaceable, everyone can use an extra pair of hands around the House.

Perhaps he was going to keep the dignity card up his sleeve to produce in the house of representatives. And if getting to your feet and saying "Boo" to the Prime Minister at question time is dignified, then Winston displayed dignity in abundance.

But once the gloating over National's drubbing is done, the question remains: Will this result make a difference to anyone's fortunes except Winston's? Will the people of Northland get the help they so desperately need to lift themselves out of the economic mire?

The election should have been about Northland. It was about the popularity of the National Government and the handling of Mike Sabin's resignation. Winston didn't even have his own slogan, appropriating Andrew Little's "Send them a message".

What Winston can do for the region, given the numbers in Parliament, remains to be seen. Perhaps he can make a difference. After all, the thing he does best is bring attention to himself.

If he can share the spotlight with the electorate and focus attention on its needs, perhaps he will bring change for the better.

That his victory came in the same week the Minister for the Environment confirmed support for the likes of a giant oil drilling deal in the Reinga-Northland basin, which has all sorts of benefits for the Norwegian oil company behind it but no demonstrable benefits for the North, illustrates just how daunting Winston's task is.