The Nation: Acting Prime Minister Winston Peters

On the Newshub Nation: Simon Shepherd Interim Interviews
Prime Minister Winston Peters

Simon Shepherd: There was a tumult in
the house this week when the interim prime minister made reference to
himself as one of the "stars" of the government
during a discussion on medicinal cannabis bills. Whether or
you do not agree, it has certainly been the moment to shine as
Acting Prime Minister of recent weeks. Winston Peters
Join me now. Good morning, Minister. Thank you for coming on
the show.

Winston Peters: Good
morning.

How is this a
star?

Listen, I think some of you have
learn to make a joke. That's what I meant by that but
they all became too reactive

on the right, so the context was medicinal cannabis.
National introduced its own bill this week. Like that
booths, will be New Zealand's first support work drugs

Yes, we will, but I think
it's fair to say that if you are balanced and
reasonable that we do not think we have the
perfect answer here. We came to our committee of
the House – this means that every provision of the bill will be
reconsidered, and if it is anyway short or deficient, we
can fix it.

OK.

What is it?
the National Party should have done – they were sitting on
the committee, after all. And for nine years before that,
this critical question of great concern that they had but not
attention be it.

We will come back to this in a
moment. What are your concerns, then? What is New Zealand
The first concerns about the bill? Was it
detailed?

A – that it works for people who
need this kind of medical care but that's not it
available and open to abuse. I think that's our seriousness

And in its present form, you are not
happy?

Well, I think in the current form
it's safe, but maybe it's too safe where people need
medical help are concerned, and maybe also
prescriptive. But we do not want to go the other way
it's just free and in the market without any reference to
the public

So for the moment it's too much
restrictive and must go a little further. Ask yourself
for that he relaxes a little?

Well,
I'm trying to look at it from an independent neutral point
of view. Legislation is government legislation
after the first 100 days. But as I say, you sent it to
the Select Committee, you sent it to the public for it to take
some suggestions, to hear what the public has to say.
And I think we should, as you know, respond very well to

D & # 39; agreement. You just mentioned that there is
Select the committee process. National has a lot of worries
that were ignored, and that's why they did the
work themselves. So that's a good example of constructive construction
Opposition.

You have heard the announcements of Kiwi –
Yeah, is not it? For the love of God, for nine years,
nothing at all to a special committee where they
four members, nothing at all, and as the bill is reported
Back in the House that day, they put this issue of
critical emergency in an urn from where he can never
to be removed.

They were –

And
please do not tell me how is it you manage a
crisis

OK, well, first of all, they say
that they received a message from the representatives of the work on
this committee; that their concerns – national
would not be treated.

Look, if they
look around the house, they have other parts on this
question, and it's really a social problem, so that
can hardly be their excuse. But they never even gave me
bill. They put the bill in the ballot without even
showing New Zealand first. Now, does it seem to you
he has integrity and sincerity behind

All right, so you do not talk about it
to do for nine years on this very important social issue.
What did Labor do about it? What did the opposition do?
about that? You can not have it both

Well, you know what I've done about it.
I have promised for years a large-scale referendum, and
if they can live with the result, I can. But if people
say no, it's no.

Simon Bridges – did you
think it's a way for him to mark his mark? is he
push National left or right with this kind
politics?

I think it's a little
confused, because he's out there pushing this real problem
hard, and I could not believe the intensity of the questions in
last week all on the issue of marijuana. Now I
thought it's a bit extraordinary, because we had a
huge geopolitical situation of uncertainty abroad, we have
all kinds of things that happen to the economy, and all of them
Suddenly he discovered hashish, so to speak.
Ne
shows a lot of organized concentration, is not it?

So, that is
point-scoring by Simon Bridges, are you
saying:

Well, it must be, in the sense that
he never even showed us the bill. Now we have a
reasonable position on, and if he thought the bill had
a little bit of merit, so why did not we give it to him before he put it
in the ballot? We may have discovered something else
that – where we could improve it.

Yes, agree.
Look, you mentioned geopolitical situations. J & # 39; would
to talk to you about Foreign Affairs, since you are our
Minister of Foreign Affairs, in particular, the new defense
Policy statement talks about the potential threat of China.
China has obviously taken exception to this, saying that she wants
a correction and New Zealand is wrong about this. Do not
you think it's a risky position, given that they're our
largest trading partner?

All positions can be
risky, but in the end we are not the only ones at
saying that on the seas of South China. L & # 39; International
the courts say it; others say it in the
district. We are only reflecting a fact, and if we
can not have an adult, mature relationship with a country
that we have been on good terms since 1972, so
there is something wrong. I'm not concerned about that,
because of a bit of frankness, frank talk and honesty with a
long-standing relationship is likely to improve

Is it going to hurt us?
economically?

I do not think so,
no

Why not? Surely, they have a lot of
economic power. They are our biggest trade

Because the Chinese have said that
they do not behave like that. That's my proof for

But China is also at a dead end with the
I mean, we are talking about the economy and the economy
uncertainty, China is in a stalemate with the United States on
prices. Will we take in the middle of
this? Are we vulnerable to a trade?
war?

Well, I think that there is a big
probability of collateral damage in New
Zeeland

In what form?

as well as other countries could be. We do not know
what will be the form. There could be guarantees
pity. Perhaps we could escape from it by the arrangements that we
to have with all these countries. I mean, we have a
asks the United States to withdraw from
the steel and aluminum embargo against us, in terms of
tariff arrangement. I think we have a chance to succeed
there, honestly.

Really? You are feeling
positive about it? Because you are about to meet you
with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at
conference this week. So are you confident that we
can get an exemption?

Well, I am very
confident to be able to put together a rock-solid response or
answer to the Americans why we should be exempt. Yeah,
I am very confident. And they have to remember that when
you have allies, you have to consider their economy
circumstance.

D & # 39; agreement. When – I mean, this trade war
could degenerate. There is, like, 500 billion dollars of
potential rates. How can we, as a country, mitigate

We can not.

we are just at the mercy of these great
savings

No. We belong to the international
organizations – the WTO and other organizations – where
we are waiting for the rules to be for the good of the world, not
just a few countries. We can do everything we can there, and
we do it all the time, but as I say, when you have
an argument of the type that is happening in the United States –
Circumstance of China, for us to say that we can have an effect on
that would be, well, other parties could say it, but I'm
I will not say it.

So we can not. D & # 39; AGREEMENT. the
other things I wanted to raise about defense policy
statement also identified Russia as a potential threat.
So are you going to ask questions with the United States to
this meeting about his relationship with Russia when you
talk to Mr. Pompeo?

We will talk a lot
things, I wait …

So that's a yes? You
are?

No, I do not say that. I do not have
still writes the agenda for what we are going to talk about

Of course, but are you
concerned?

Well, we are concerned about everything
circumstance that seems to lead to a lack of peace,
a lack of stability. None of this helps. Yes

Yes, because the United States seems
like Russia. Mr Putin goes to the White
House

Well, yes, it's a fact.
Yes.

Very good.

And your argument
should not it?

No, I was wondering if you
were worried …

As Winston Churchill said,
It's much better jaw, jaw, jaw than war, war, war.
And he would know it.

One of our other biggest
relations is Australia. You talked about the
importance of this, especially with the Pacific reset. But
Do you think that friendship has taken a little bit of beating in
last years?

No, I think that simple talk helps
The australians. I do not want anyone to come raw shrimp with
them, as they say. A little frank dialogue is very important.
We have a good relationship, but it could be so
better, and my job is to point out to the Australians
and the state government and their central government
they never needed New Zealand as they needed it
now

They say we do not do heavy
lifting. Have you made an exception to that, or is it just
true?

Well, he talked about the heavy load
when it came to the illegal migration of boats. If you have a
map of the South Pacific he would know why we could not
do the heavy work because we are not in Australia they
are

So, it's just an easy point for them to
score, is it?

Well, he did not score any points
points when he said that. That's why there is a little bit of a
rebound on other issues.

What – the
flag?

Well, that's a fact, is not

I do not know if it's a fact. They would like

In 1901, we adopt our
flag. 1954 they adopt a flag that is almost identical to
ours. Things speak for themselves. I did not go
make a big point. I think we even have the solution for
them, if you want.

What & # 39; s
it?

Probably a little kangaroo, like maple
leaf in Canada.

Well, then …

it's not going to be an argument. I am fair
state a fact. And when you see us at the Olympics or
the Commonwealth Games when – well, the Olympics were
in Sydney and our three athletes came first, second and
third – a New Zealander and two Aussies – that was very
confusing to see which flag was which.

suggest you draw your design and offer it to
Malcolm Turnbull

No, I'm just saying

OK, let's move on to justice
reforms. It's a big problem ahead. Jail
population forecasts have reached more than 13,000 by 2027, and
the emphasis is on the reduction of 30%. So
To do this, do you want, in New Zealand first, to consider changes
bail, parole and sentencing legislation, in the area of
package?

Yes.

Where would you go?
to go with those?

Well, first of all, look, the
the prison population has decreased by about 500 since we came
in power. That's the first thing.

There are no new policies because of you. C & # 39;
just a fact, you know?

the projections are false.

They are not my
projections they are the Department of Justice
projections

Well, maybe their projections
are wrong. This figure has been proved wrong. I will give
you a second example. If we look at the number of people who
are in jail awaiting trial, that is to say that they are in jail,
been incarcerated probably for a year, if you can shorten
that at six months, you have a dramatic fall in your prison
numbers, just like that.

Okay,
so-

That could mean that we might need to – hold
up – a number of new judges, and systems to get people
on the test, but that is obvious evidence. So everything
the change that can happen in reducing the number of prisons
and reduce the cost of $ 1,000 per prisoner a year, is for the
better. This idea of ​​… throwing them away and throwing away the key
away 'and be tough on the crime at the Simon
Bridges-

Well, actually, you've been hard on
crime in the past.

And I'm tough on crime. I
believe in putting people in the fields and rivers of
this country and clean things together, rather than having
in prison.

Do you mean that you believe in
hard work, gangs of the chain,

These are not the gangs of the chain, it's
not breaking, it is a good idea to organize people.
We have forests that we have to plant to the north, and to the right
in the middle of this is a prison. How about putting both
together? This is an obvious opportunity. We will not put in jeopardy
public safety but we will have things
fact.

I would say that you are a little
the chances with the work on this reform package, and the example
is the law of the three strikes. You pulled the rug under
Andrew Little when he tried to abrogate it. Chester Borrows is
now leads the Criminal Justice Advisory Group
reform. He does not support the law of Three Strikes. So if that
group recommends to abolish it, would you support

Well, before we rush and do that, that
we said to Mr. Little was, and he's still a job in
the progress is that if we get all these other things,
then you can deal with the laws of three strikes because it
will be very egregious and obvious to the public that they
does not work, and they do not. But here's the point –
you can not expect the public to go with you and support your
changed plan or reform without proving how it works, and
that's all i asked for.

All right, all right. And
in terms of the law of three strikes, as you seemed to indicate,
does not work.

Well, the problem is,
you have something like 116 now waiting on the third
strike, so something that has not worked since the
very dishonest member of the law has bought, you remember who he
was, is not it? It did not work, and all that time, and
we do not have a lot that have been done by the
third shot, nevertheless, there is a pile there all
ready to leave, and I do not want that to be treated as
serious question before changing and bring the
reform

OK, so as part of the larger package,
you would be happy to leave.

Well, the
thing is, Andrew Little is a Reform minister, and he is
do not do it because he's weak on crime. What he does
That's for the system right now is not working. We have
one of the highest incarceration rates in the world. Right here
we have this country with all this space in the world
– same size as the UK or almost identical to Japan – all
this space, this decor, everything you have for that, and
Look at the level of crime.

Let's – You had five weeks. You have a little
longer to go as acting Prime Minister. Everyone was
anticipate the great show of Winston Peters. How do you think
you made?

Well, I've proved a part of
cynical false

How?

The sky
did not fall in it.
It's a state of absolute
normality and corroboration, and I am happy about it. And me
think we went very, very well, and will leave on
Wednesday night – I think it's midnight – having
badured that no crisis happened that we were not able to
handle

So, is this something you want to do
again?

I never thought of it that way,
Actually. To tell you the truth, it is very difficult to be
the Minister of Foreign Affairs and to be trapped in
home.

So that's a no? You do not want to be
the interim Prime Minister yet?

No, no, I am
happy to do it but the reality is, now I have a
concerted travel program that is – Maybe … How
should I put it? We can not wait with the
a lot of eagerness, that's right, you have to be
on the road so often.

OK, what job do you want

I prefer any work that I currently have
in this context. Look, I liked doing it, but I
did not appreciate the early media cynicism and the
arrogance of journalists. I've been around a long time

We know.

And to have these
casual comments being made, and I thought, "Well,
we will see who is right or wrong. How should I say
without being too egocentric? I have been written off more
once people have had hot dinners on this issue, and
I'm glad we had such a good

Well, you've been around a long time.
Speaking of this, so after 25 years leading New Zealand
First, will you drive it through the next
election

This far, I've never, never
commented what I will do. It depends on a whole
many things, including health, how good you are,
what the team thinks, and the most critical of all, whether it's
you are there is essential to victory. C & # 39;
which is the most critical.

So, are you in shape and
healthy right now?

Yes, I
am.

D & # 39; agreement. Are you critical for
victory?

Our polls are on the rise, as you
Well, not the ones you run, but the internal
Survey of Labor and National felt very strong.
We have never been so strong so far. We know we can do
much better, yes, we will have a discussion about it
later. Not this year, next year.

OK. Just
wanted to have your opinion on the current leaders, so if it's a
choice between Simon Bridges and Jacinda Ardern next time
around, could you work both with the two

Well, look, I will not do
hypothetical. Never been my – The chances of Simon Bridges
holding the next elections on the National Party record
is not good. I've seen that, I've been there, I've
seen instability when a party loses as National. And
the reversal of leadership is horrible.

you predict that Simon Bridges will be gone
soon?

No, I predict that the first person
they will come is Paula Bennett, because that's what
jackals do. They do not go for the biggest animal, they go
for the smallest and the weakest, then it will be
Simon

When will Simon's time be

I would not be wise to give an exact date,
but one of these days you will look back and say that it was

OK, Simon Bridges is gone. And
Jacinda Ardern – will she be around the next
election?

I'll tell you why Simon left,
Simon has discovered so much of his past, a bit like
Columbus discovered America – by
accident.

What do you mean by

First of all, he introduces himself, and all of a
Suddenly he decided that he was Maori. Nobody knew it
before you get there. Then he started looking for his iwi.
And now he has discovered marijuana. You can not have too much
many discoveries like this before people start to say,
"Oh, yeah, but what does this man really think?" What
does it go down to the inside?

Do you think that
Simon Bridges will lose this popular centrist
National Party Support
base

Yes.

Do you think that it is
lost that? Wow OK. I just want – Before leaving, I'm coming
want to …

You can not be questioned – I know what
their polls are. You can not interrogate 41, and as a leader,
be interviewed under 10. That means that three quarters of your party
do not want you.

OK. Simon Bridges gone
according to Winston Peters. Finally-

Well,
How could you do it? Surely, if you are going to lead
a party, the leader must want you as a
leader

We'll see if you're right. Finally,
Brexit activist Nigel Farage arrives in town
September. You met him in London. He took you to
cricket.

That's right,
Yeah.

Will you return the favor and
go out?

You would not believe it.
Once again, I'll be at sea.

Oh,
really?

I can not avoid it.

This
also compared to Donald Trump, did not
he?

Well, I do not think he was right about
this. Nothing like it about me and Donald Trump, you know

Have you ever been in the same room,
at the same time?

Like Donald Trump? No, but I
could have been. I remember that he came here 21 years ago, and
people forget, Auckland station was
will go on sale, and Ngati Whatua was talking about
from a casino, and Donald Trump came here, most of
you forgot, trying to enter into a partnership with
the Ngati Whatua to start a casino, and he said as part of
he would learn the Maori language. I have never forgotten

We will leave him there. First actor
Minister for a little longer – Winston Peters, thank you
you a lot for your time.

Thank

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