ACT leader 'fish out of water'

Winston Peters has hit back at ACT's Jamie Whyte who launched an attack on New Zealand First and its leader at his campaign launch yesterday.

Dr Whyte described Mr Peters as a charlatan, said he did not not like Mr Peters' stance on Asian immigrants and called New Zealand First "the stumpy little legs of a monster".

But after the election ACT may have little choice about who it works with, he said.

"The most important thing is to get a National-led government in ... and we might have to hold our nose, and if it came to a situation where maybe Winston was required, that would be very uncomfortable for me, but I guess for the greater good we'd go along with it."

Mr Peters said ACT was polling very poorly and Dr Whyte must either be in the depths of political depression to be behaving the way he is, or else is receiving very bad advice.

"I think basically he's a fish out of water - basically a nice guy and probably the kind of guy it'd be lovely to have round for dinner but he should not have never gone near politics."