Deputy Prime Minster: Regions key to making NZ work

Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters was in the Waikato and Coromandel on Tuesday announcing over $40 million in Government funding for the region. Photo /

In the heart of the Waikato this week, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters again made the point that Māori culture needs to adapt, while praising the provinces for their contribution.

Peters was in Hamilton to announce a $16.8 million grant for a roading package to activate the Ruakura Inland Port, while also announcing a $19.95 million investment for Te Ariki Tahi, (Sugarloaf Wharf) in Coromandel Harbour, with the build of an extended, raised wharf platform to account for rising sea levels, along with four new berths for increased commercial mussel activity and a separate facility with launching for recreational boats.

He started the announcement by praising the Government, for moving to alert level one quicker than expected saying leaving it until June 22 would had been a mistake.
"Getting out of alert level two last night was great news and lets hope it can stay like that," Peters said, on Tuesday in Hamilton.

He said the country had learned a lesson when it came to hygiene, and said again that he believed the Māori hongi should stop.

He first made that suggestion in early May while defending restrictions that at the time would only allow 10 people to attend a funeral or tangi, including at marae.

"Cultures that don't adapt die and from a Māori perspective I do not know if we can carry on doing the hongi with the winter flu also coming on."

"I know a lot of Māori are going to be offended by this, but cultures that don't adapt die. I'll leave it to the people, it's a democracy that we live in."

Peters spoke of the importance of the provincial regions outside the major city centres when it comes to the economic recovery post-Covid-19.

"There is only way out of this and that word has four letters, work."

"Boy, do we need to get out of the big cities and keep the provinces going; Covid-19 demonstrated to New Zealand that provinces matter.

"In 1984 everyone was saying farming is a sunset industry, it is finished, look at what is happening now, farming, agriculture, horticulture, it is the central of New Zealand's future and growth."

He jokingly said that Auckland was now depending on the Waikato, with the city facing a water crisis and asking Hamilton City Council for some of their reserves.

"The actual river level wouldn't change that much if you gave them some of your water," Peters said, before being cut off by Waikato-Tainui claims negotiator Rahui Papa, who said that was a conversation for a different day.

Peters said the benefits of building an inland port in the Waikato will help the country recover from the economic shock of Covid-19.

"Which is the fourth biggest port in the United States, Memphis, and it is way inland and so is Hamilton so we are proud to support this, a job like this opens up massive opportunities."

"We all know when push comes to shove, the people that help run this country are the people of provincial New Zealand."