MAGA Minions: Winston Peters & Shane Jones
Plus: Luxon flood support, Paul Goldsmith's Retail Crime Advisory Committee implodes and Gaza,
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Winston Peters’ MAGA Pitch Is A Cynical Diversion
Winston Peters and NZ First are continuing their MAGA assault in New Zealand. NZ First have consistently polled near 10% over the last year, representing a significant surge in popularity under National’s Luxon government, and giving Peters and the NZF Board confidence in their populist tack.
Peters’ latest move is praising Donald Trump for the USA’s withdrawal from dozens of international aid organisations, and calling for New Zealand to join Trump in exiting the World Health Organisation (“WHO”).
World Health Organization (WHO) acts as a key partner for New Zealand, focusing on strengthening national health systems, providing technical expertise, and enhancing regional health security in the Pacific. Through the Western Pacific regional office, WHO helps New Zealand address public health challenges, including pandemic preparedness, antimicrobial resistance, and disease surveillance.
In 2018, during an Ardern government, Winston Peters urged New Zealand to increase funding to international aid organisations as part of strengthening Pacific relations.
He also secured almost a billion dollars in increasing funding for international aid, international organisations like WHO, and diplomacy efforts.
This year, Peters has adopted the Trump route of decrying “millions” and calling for our withdrawal from international co-operation and mutual support.
Ultimately, it’s not about consistency or values with the NZ First leader, but about echoing soundbites that resonate for some people, especially during times of fear and uncertainty.
Peters decries millions for international health organisations, yet appears single handedly behind the ~$300 million of NZ taxpayers money his Minister secured for Philip Morris and other global tobacco firms.
Money for tobacco and death, but nothing for healthcare?
Peters’ movement serves an important function for the new right wing movements - it seeks to change and influence Kiwi culture in a manner that is more conducive to division.
Winston’s first engagement in this regard was with the “Bad boys of Brexit”, when NZ First engaged Russian linked Brexit leaders to help him campaign in New Zealand in 2020.
It appears Peters is only doubling down since then, buoyed by the success of the likes of Trump, Farage and Australia’s Hanson.
Luxon backs himself
- PM Chris Luxon stands by National’s decision to re-allocate $6b from NZ’s infrastructure resilience fund (Henry Cooke, The Post) That fund was created by Labour for infrastructure resilience and natural disaster relief after Cyclone Gabrielle. National re-allocated that amount in 2024, as reported on Mountain Tui last July, to help fund National’s tax cuts and tobacco company tax relief.
- After taking the $6000 million from taxpayers, National has issued smaller amounts including $150,000 of funding to Southland and Clutha last October after their “once in a lifetime” floods, $600,000 to Nelson Tasman farmers in July after the latest “1 in a 100 years floods” and another $2 million to help Tasman’s flood clean up. (Tasman Council estimated the total clean up cost to be $25 million plus)
- Mark Mitchell is expected to announce funding today for the latest floods around the country
Retail Crime Advisory Commitee Exodus - citing issues with Kaushal, who billed $240,000 in a year
- A majority of Sunny Kaushal’s $1.8 million “Retail Advisory Crime Committee” has resigned, citing issues with Kaushal. Paul Goldsmith funded the committee a day after Kaushal appeared on TV to describe a ram raid in Auckland. He has not appeared since he was made Chair of the Committee and said he was “grateful” for the opporrtunity.
- Goldsmith was warned of “concerning behaviour” by Kaushal last year but ignored it.
- Note: Three contractors to the advisory group can earn more than $1000 a day, while Kaushal earns $920 a day. And last July it was reported the Committee cost $500,000 in 3 months as well as catering costs in the tens of thousands of dollars.
- Kaushal previously offered his same “law and order” ideas to Labour for free, but was rejected as the advice was deemed unsafe and ineffective.
- National have been advised by their own Ministry that citizens’ arrest is unlikely to improve public safety while police warn it will make the country more dangerous
Israel Attacks Continue In Gaza
Two boys collecting firewood were killed in Gaza after an explosive strike by Israel. The total of Palestinians killed since the “ceasefire” came into effect in October stands at 484. Five days ago, Israel killed 11, including two children..
Palestinians are digging through rubbish for fuel to keep warm and most are living in unsanitary, make shift tents, bereft of medical attention, heating and sparse food.
The so-called Board of Peace appears to be a run over of a demolished state and a weak people to prioritise “development” and “money” and their “grand plan” reads like pages out of Project 2025 envisioning.
Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff admitted that he and Jared Kushner had been putting this plan together for 2 years prior to Israel’s Gaza “war”, and that 2.3 million Palestinians might never be able to return.
Former NZ Prime Minister Helen Clark makes it clear the Board of Peace shouldn’t really exist, and called it “not a legitimate way to run international affairs”.
