1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:04,520 Speaker 1: And happy birthday, Winston Peters on his eightieth birthday. He 2 00:00:04,559 --> 00:00:07,000 Speaker 1: won't be listening to this. He's jetting around the Pacific 3 00:00:07,080 --> 00:00:10,719 Speaker 1: as we speak, representing his country, keeping us close to 4 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:14,360 Speaker 1: our friends in the region, as China circles and America wanders. 5 00:00:14,840 --> 00:00:17,919 Speaker 1: He's visited more than forty countries since Luxon took office. 6 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:22,760 Speaker 1: The stamina of this man, the discipline, the confidence, the 7 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:26,360 Speaker 1: work ethic, all things to be admired. And what a 8 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:30,360 Speaker 1: contrasted picture he paints in Parliament, one side of the 9 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:35,400 Speaker 1: house draped in performative costumes, wearing badges and headpieces and 10 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 1: snapping their fingers and doing TikTok, not bothering to, by 11 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:45,080 Speaker 1: the way, learn the standing orders, which Winston's mastered over 12 00:00:45,159 --> 00:00:47,559 Speaker 1: nearly half a century. Not bothering to turn up to 13 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:50,680 Speaker 1: work in some cases, not bothering to engage in meaningful 14 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:53,000 Speaker 1: debate so that we might all get to a better place, 15 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:57,320 Speaker 1: you know the essence of democracy. Winston is not perfect. 16 00:00:57,680 --> 00:01:00,160 Speaker 1: He's flip flopped and u turned more times than you 17 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:03,040 Speaker 1: can count, and he angered a lot of people by 18 00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:06,680 Speaker 1: picking to cinder adjourn. But you have to admit he's 19 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:09,319 Speaker 1: a man with a strategy He's a man who doesn't 20 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:12,399 Speaker 1: mind hard work. He's a man whose politics you may 21 00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:16,560 Speaker 1: not like, but whose character modern society cannot afford to 22 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:19,960 Speaker 1: lose or forget. He was born get this back in 23 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:22,800 Speaker 1: nineteen forty five, just a few weeks before Germany's surrendered 24 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:25,240 Speaker 1: to the Allies in World War II. He's been in 25 00:01:25,280 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 1: politics for nearly half a century, the king maker, punching 26 00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:31,920 Speaker 1: well above his weight in the MMP system. In fact, 27 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:33,720 Speaker 1: I had a teacher at Yuni who used to say 28 00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:36,680 Speaker 1: the P and MMP who stands for Peters. He loves 29 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:40,000 Speaker 1: a bit of drama, he loves a fight, and he's 30 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:43,480 Speaker 1: not above performative politics either. By the way, remember the 31 00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:46,840 Speaker 1: no sign, Remember all the inquiries, the donation sagas the 32 00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:49,800 Speaker 1: list does go on. But and this is why kiwis 33 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:54,080 Speaker 1: keep giving him a chance. He takes seriously the things 34 00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:58,360 Speaker 1: and the people he's made promised to represent, and he 35 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:01,440 Speaker 1: works day and night to get the political deals done, 36 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:05,080 Speaker 1: to make sure that they actually happen. The new generation 37 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:09,280 Speaker 1: of politicians should put their phones down, probably sign out 38 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:13,560 Speaker 1: of Instagram, and take a leaf out of Winston's diary. Winston, 39 00:02:13,919 --> 00:02:18,079 Speaker 1: Happy Birthday. For more from Heather Duplessy Allen Drive. Listen 40 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:21,200 Speaker 1: live to news talks it'd be from four pm weekdays, 41 00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:23,440 Speaker 1: or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio