Ousted in 2020, Winston Peters is back in the saddle, offering a (perhaps) refreshing break from the heated jockeying for pole position between Labour and National over the weekend.
In an online video maybe reminiscent of the hearty Mainland Cheese ads from late 1990s and early 2000s New Zealand TV, Peters dons a cowboy hat and mounts a horse.
“To govern a country you need experience, and this is not our first rodeo,” he asserts.
Viewers can debate the cheesy factor of the ad but likes on Social Media Platform X (formerly Twitter) suggest audiences dig the vintage.
— Winston Peters (@winstonpeters) September 3, 2023
No major party looks likely to win a majority without help and, while Labour’s Chris Hipkins has written off NZ First as a “force for instability and chaos,” National leader Christopher Luxon is staying tight-lipped on the possibility of an alliance.
NZ First teeters on the 5% threshold for Parliament. According to the 1News Verian Poll, it’s at 4% but the Taxpayers’ Union - Curia Poll pushes it up to 5.8%.
Last week, Peters was clear that the election’s outcome will guide coalition talks, dismissing potential neighsayers (naysayers). ‘When the dust settles, we’ll know what we’re dealing with,’ he stated, urging that old grudges should not block the path to a stable government.”
This cowboy video act is not a first for NZ First fans.
Former MP and Carterton Mayor Ron Mark was known for his rodeo-themed radio ads in his Wairarapa rohe. He even made the news in 2019, during his time as Defence Minister, when an inebriated patron tried to grab his signature Stetson at a Fleetwood Mac tribute show.
In a campaign marked by co-governance squabbles and claims of dog-whistling, Peters seems to be steering voters toward the prospect of greener pastures. For now, at least.