September 11, 2023
Peter counting on experience for win
The 53rd parliament will be formally dissolved today, and it’s also the last day for registration of parties and logos.
On Sunday Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro will sign the writ for the October 14 general election.
Nominations close for candidates at noon next Friday, with official party lists published on Saturday September 16 – which means the country will finally see who Winston Peters will be taking with him in the increasing likelihood New Zealand First gets back to parliament.
One of his last recruits was former Wellington mayor Andy Foster, who’s standing in Mana.
Mr Peters says the next parliament will need experienced politicians – and New Zealand First has them.
“I’m proud of the face we’ve got people who will get to the parliament ready to go, they won’t be spending years trying to find out what’s going on. This election is starting to show there are too many people there who have never been inside a cabinet, have no experience whatsoever, and as a consequence many of the promises they are making at the moment, given the state of our economy, are breathtaking in their irresponsibility,” he says.
Those in New Zealand First’s front line could include former MPs Shane Jones, Jenny Marcroft, Mahesh Bindra, and Mark Patterson, as well as former Hobson’s Pledge spokesperson Casey Costello and former Shortland St actor Lee Donoghue