Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has claimed that Prime Minister Christopher Luxon had been "misinformed" by the media after the two spoke about Peters' recent references to Nazi Germany.
Peters made headlines this week after talking about Nazi Germany when discussing the previous Labour government's policies in his State of the Nation speech.
During the speech, he took aim at Labour's "race-based theory", alluding to co-governance, "where some people's DNA... made them somehow better than others".
"I've seen that sort of philosophy before. I saw it in Nazi Germany, we all did," he said.
The NZ First leader and Deputy PM wasn’t backing down when questioned by Anna Burns-Francis. (Source: Breakfast)
Peters has since claimed the comments referenced those made by Te Pati Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi last year. Waititi allegedly said Māori genetics are stronger than others.
Yesterday, the Prime Minister said he had talked to Peters about the comments but would not elaborate on what was discussed. He called on all parties in Parliament to be careful with their language.
However, Peters now claims Luxon's understanding of the situation was "misinformed" by the media.
Peters told Breakfast this morning: "[Luxon] said to me, 'I was told this, this, and this,' and I said to him, 'By who? Did you hear my speech?' No.
"And then I realised, like most New Zealanders, all the way at the top, he's been misinformed by you media people, who think that your shill leftie biased message is going to triumph."
He was asked to clarify if he was accusing the Prime Minister of being wholly influenced by the media and unable to find out about Peters' comments for himself.
Peters replied: "I just said that, and that's the truth."
Throughout the interview, he continued to take jabs at the media, repeatedly calling journalists "leftie shills".
"All I want from the New Zealand media, paid for by the taxpayer, some unbiased neutrality," he said.
The Prime Minister's office has been approached for comment.
The interview also follows British punk band Chumbawamba asking Peters to stop using their song Tubthumping. He blamed this on a "leftie shill" journalist.
"Some leftie shill who doesn't like honesty about racism decided to call [the band] and, like you [TVNZ], misinform the poor band that had been disbanded all those years ago and try and make something of it."
In a post to X this morning, Peters said: "It seems the media care more about the Chumbawamba story than we do.
"We actually don't care."
Also joining Breakfast this morning was Labour leader Chris Hipkins, who was asked if Luxon had lost control of his deputy.
Hipkins said: "I don't think he's ever had control of Winston Peters, to be fair.
"This is one of the reasons why I said I wouldn't work with Winston Peters. I think he's uncontrollable."
He said Luxon had "created this problem for himself" and the Prime Minister's openness to working with Peters during the election means he is "reaping what he has sown".
"The reality is, no stable government is going to come from a governing arrangement with Winston Peters, David Seymour and Christopher Luxon."
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