Global InformationWinston Peters information
The Right Honourable Vaovasamanaia Winston Peters PC MP | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Peters in 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13th Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Incumbent | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 27 November 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Christopher Luxon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Governor-General | Cindy Kiro | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Carmel Sepuloni | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 26 October 2017 – 6 November 2020 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Jacinda Ardern | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Governor-General | Patsy Reddy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Paula Bennett | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Grant Robertson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 16 December 1996 – 14 August 1998 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Jim Bolger Jenny Shipley | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Governor-General | Michael Hardie Boys | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Don McKinnon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Wyatt Creech | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 25th Minister of Foreign Affairs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Incumbent | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 27 November 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Christopher Luxon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Grant Robertson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 26 October 2017 – 6 November 2020 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Jacinda Ardern | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Gerry Brownlee | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Nanaia Mahuta | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 19 October 2005 – 29 August 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Helen Clark | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Phil Goff | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Helen Clark (Acting) Murray McCully | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8th Minister for Racing | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Incumbent | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 27 November 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Christopher Luxon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Kieran McAnulty | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 26 October 2017 – 6 November 2020 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Jacinda Ardern | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | David Bennett | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Grant Robertson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 19 October 2005 – 19 November 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Helen Clark | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Damien O'Connor | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | John Carter | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Leader of New Zealand First | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Incumbent | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 18 July 1993 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Tau Henare Peter Brown Tracey Martin Ron Mark Fletcher Tabuteau Shane Jones | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Office established | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | Wynston Raymond Peters 11 April 1945 Whangārei, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Political party | New Zealand First (1993–present) National (1979–1993) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 2, including Bree[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Relatives | Jim Peters (brother) Ian Peters (brother) Lynette Stewart (sister) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | University of Auckland (BA/LLB) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Signature |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Winston Raymond Peters PC (born 11 April 1945) is a New Zealand politician who has been the leader of New Zealand First since it was founded in 1993.[2] He was re-elected for a fifteenth time at the 2023 general election,[3] having previously been a member of Parliament (MP) from 1979 to 1981, 1984 to 2008 and 2011 to 2020. Peters has served as the 13th deputy prime minister of New Zealand and 25th minister of foreign affairs since November 2023.
Peters was born in Whangārei to a family of mixed Ngāti Wai and Scottish descent. He was raised in Whananaki in rural Northland before attending school in Dargaville. Widely known simply as "Winston",[4] Peters has had a long and turbulent political career since first entering Parliament following the National Party win in the 1978 general election. Peters first served in the Cabinet as minister of Māori affairs when Jim Bolger led the National Party to victory in 1990. He was dismissed from this post in 1991 after criticising his own Government's economic, fiscal and foreign ownership policies. Leaving the National Party in 1993, Peters briefly served as an independent before founding New Zealand First, a populist party.
As leader of New Zealand First, he held the balance of power after the 1996 election and formed a coalition with the National Party, securing the positions of deputy prime minister and treasurer, the latter position created for Peters. However, the coalition dissolved in 1998 following the replacement of Bolger by Jenny Shipley as prime minister. In 1999, New Zealand First returned to opposition before entering government with Labour Party Prime Minister Helen Clark, in which Peters served as minister of foreign affairs from 2005 to 2008.
In the 2008 general election, after a funding scandal involving Peters and his party, New Zealand First failed to reach the 5% threshold. As a result, neither Peters nor New Zealand First were returned to Parliament.[5] In the 2011 general election, New Zealand First experienced a resurgence in support, winning 6.8% of the party vote to secure eight seats in Parliament.[6] Peters returned to Parliament and spent two terms in opposition before forming a coalition government with the Labour Party in 2017. The new prime minister Jacinda Ardern appointed Peters as deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs. Peters was acting prime minister from 21 June 2018 to 2 August 2018 while Ardern was on maternity leave.[7][8] He failed to be elected for a third time in the 2020 election, but staged another comeback in 2023 and is part of the Sixth National Government.[9][10] After entering into a coalition agreement with National leader Christopher Luxon, Peters serves as Luxon's deputy prime minister from 27 November 2023 to 31 May 2025; he will be succeeded by David Seymour.[11]
- ^ Verdon, Tony (29 September 2017). "Winston Peters: Politician, family man and enigma". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 28 September 2023.
- ^ Bale, Tim; Blomgren, Magnus (2008), "Close but no cigar?: Newly governing and nearly governing parties in Sweden and New Zealand", New Parties in Government, Routledge, p. 94, ISBN 9780415404990
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Cookewas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Vowles, Jack; Coffé, Hilde; Curtin, Jennifer (2012). A Bark But No Bite: Inequality and the 2014 New Zealand General Election. Canberra: ANU Press, Australian National University. p. 167.
- ^ "Official Count Results – Overall Status".
- ^ "The return of Peters". 3 News NZ. 27 November 2013. Archived from the original on 28 June 2013.
- ^ Cooke, Henry (18 June 2018). "Jacinda Ardern is still prime minister, but Winston Peters is chairing Cabinet. Here's why". Stuff. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
- ^ Patterson, Jane (21 June 2018). "Winston Peters is in charge: His duties explained". Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
NZ Herald 2020 election resultswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Livingstone, Helen (14 October 2023). "New Zealand election 2023: right-leaning coalition poised to form government after Labour swept from power – as it happened". the Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ^ "Live: Winston Peters, David Seymour to take turns as deputy PM, coalition deal unveiled". Stuff. 24 November 2023. Retrieved 24 November 2023.