Winston claims he can support govt and be in opposition at same time

NZ First Leader Winston Peters is claiming he can support a government budget and be in opposition at the same time.

Speaking this weekend on TV3’s “The Nation”, Mr Peters said: “We're going into opposition.

“That’s very clear, we're going into opposition, because we want to hold the next government whoever it is on those critical issues, accountable to the people of New Zealand.”

But then Mr Peters said he might support the government and vote for its budget.

“If you're in opposition and you see a decent budget then you vote for it.”

Asked by interviewer Sean Plunket whether the very definition of a Westminster democracy was that the government had support or could get support on confidence and supply, Mr Peters said he understood Westminster democracies.

“But the fact is that you're saying that the prime ministry of parliament means nothing.

“It means something and if the government came up with a sound budget in an economic crisis, which we're in, then yes New Zealand First would support it.”

Mr Peters also said that the controversial Spencer Trust administered by his brother, was no longer handling New Zealand First’s finances.

He said the party Treasurer was now doing that.

Asked if any lawyers were involved, he replied: “Of course we've got lawyers involved in New Zealand First, we've got all sorts of people involved in New Zealand First, but that’s what you expect in a part of this broad brush.

“But I knew that as the polls were raised people were gonna throw dirt and that’s why I put out a press release saying that.”

Asked about a recent poll showing 66% of New Zealanders did not trust him, Mr Peters said that was because the media misinformed people about him.

“Look New Zealand First has been, as you know black listed by most of the media for a long time, still don’t have our policy published by a lot of media artists,” he said.

“But look hard work and true grit, the kind of quality that made this country great is what my people have got and we're going to make it and we're gonna make it well.”