New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has dismissed criticisms of a joke about Asian names he made as being humourless.
Winston Peters.
Photo: RNZ / Demelza Leslie
In a reference to the Government’s handling of foreign land sales, Peters told supporters at his party’s campaign launch in Auckland on Sunday that “as they say in Beijing, two wongs don’t make a wight”.
Asked to explain the comment, he said it was not racist and told reporters they needed a sense of humour. “I know that in Beijing they think it’s funny and so do I,” he said. “I thought you might pick up the nuance of it quicker.”
Radio New Zealand reports that Peters told the 300 people at the launch that foreign ownership of land would be a key part of New Zealand First’s election campaign. He intends for his party to establish a register in order to keep tabs on land ownership.
Among the other party’s other policies are signing up all newborn babies to Kiwisaver and freeing up that money to be used for tertiary education fees.
During the launch, the party announced 15 of its electorate candidates and will reveal its party list in the next week.
Peters will not confirm whether he will stand in an electorate, and if so, which one.