Rodney Hide: Why Winston should be king

NZ First Party leader Winston Peters. Photo / Stephen Parker

Ten reasons Winston Peters should be our next Prime Minister

It's his turn

John Key was at school in short pants when Winston was first elected. Winston has seen Prime Ministers come and go. It's not fair he is always on the bench.

Experience

Even Winston with his characteristic modesty would allow he is our most experienced politician. We know he never wishes for the baubles of office but we can't afford his experience to go to waste.

Entertainment value

An upbeat Winston Peters has a coffee at Zest Cafe in Kerikeri. Photo / Northern Advocate

The PC brigade has made most jokes off-limits. But we can still poke fun at politics and politicians. Winston as PM would more than make up for the loss of the other material.

Good for business

Well, my business. No politician generates better headlines than Winston. Every week there would be a surfeit of stuff to write about.

Winston's integrity is not in question

We know that his most emphatic "no" with signs and whistles may mean "yes". He's a politician who would never let us down. We know precisely where we are with him.

Partnership

Successive Governments have droned on for years that the Treaty means partnership. We have had 38 Prime Ministers but never a Maori. Winston is the only one in prospect. It's time we honoured the Treaty.

Historical prophecy

Robert Muldoon long ago introduced Winston as the man who would be New Zealand's first Maori Prime Minister. It was prophesied long ago. It's meant to be.

The kingmaker should crown himself

The polls have Winston as kingmaker. He successively made National's Jim Bolger and then Labour's Helen Clark Prime Minister. But why shouldn't he choose himself? He is not campaigning for others and surely sees himself as his best choice.

What else is there for him?

Winston has had the other jobs. He has been Deputy Prime Minister, Treasurer, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Maori Affairs. He has also paid his dues: he has babysat 35 New Zealand First MPs. There's only one job for him to step up to and that's the top job.

We deserve him

We have elected Winston over and over again. Northland elected him as MP. He has won more elections than any other politician and collected more votes. We have kicked him out. Twice. Then put him back. We deserve him.