Winston Peters Rates Jacinda Ardern, John Key & Every PM Since Muldoon

My guest today is Winston Peters. And in almost 400 episodes I don’t think I’ve ever had my research corrected quite so many times. This is most definitely the most combative guest I’ve had on the podcast. Whatever your opinion of Winston, I was keen to get to know the person behind the suit and the 50-year political career that has seen him work alongside a total of 12 different Prime Ministers. We talk about growing up as one of 11 kids, the lessons from his mum and dad, ageing, faith, regrets, what keeps him going and how he’d like to be remembered. There’s plenty of banter, a few prickly moments, and a lot of questions Winston would have preferred I didn’t ask. *** This episode is proudly brought to you by the legends at Odoo. If you run a business, here’s a question: How many different bits of software are you paying for right now? One for accounting. One for sales. Another for projects. Another for inventory. Another for your website. Odoo is designed to simplify all of that. It’s a user-friendly, all-in-one business management solution, with a huge range of apps that are fully integrated and designed to work together. So instead of building your business around a pile of disconnected tools, you can manage it from one platform. Have a look for yourself! You can try Odoo free for 15 days, with no credit card required, at ODOO.COM (that’s O D double O dot com) Odoo. All your business, on one platform. https://www.odoo.com/r/mgS *** 00:00 Winston Peters on Politics, Leadership & New Zealand 01:58 Could Winston Peters Become Prime Minister Again? 03:00 Early Life, Education & Lessons That Shaped Him 07:44 Media Scrutiny, Journalism & Public Perception 10:42 Family, Childhood & Growing Up in New Zealand 14:27 Work Ethic, Success & Building Resilience 18:03 Moving to Australia, University & Finding Direction 24:00 Landmark Legal Cases & Life as a Lawyer 29:23 New Zealand Prime Ministers & Political Leadership 34:22 Political Parties, Democracy & Public Trust 38:49 COVID-19, Vaccine Mandates & Government Decisions 44:48 The 2020 Election & Lessons From Political Defeat 48:13 Healthcare Reform & The Future of NZ Health 49:37 Mental Toughness & Handling Public Criticism 52:02 Historical Leaders & Lessons From the Past 53:12 Race Relations, Culture & New Zealand Society 56:02 Leadership, Advisors & Making Difficult Decisions 59:06 Privacy, Freedom & Government Overreach 1:00:26 Legacy, Public Service & Writing a Book 1:01:50 Losing His Father & Personal Life Lessons 1:04:04 Faith, Values & Personal Philosophy 1:06:13 Challenging the Establishment & Speaking Out 1:07:53 Political Mistakes, Controversies & Accountability 1:10:25 Media Bias, Elections & Voter Confidence 1:13:10 Managing Stress & Staying Grounded in Politics 1:15:25 Life Advice, Wisdom & Personal Reflections 1:17:42 New Zealand's Future, Economy & Cost of Living