Another day, another round of barbs between Winston Peters and Simon Bridges in Parliament

February 13, 2019

The Deputy Prime Minister and the Opposition leader had digs at one another based on comments they’d both made in the past.

It was another day, another dig at Simon Bridges from Deputy PM Winston Peters in Parliament today, though this time the Opposition leader returned with a taunt of his own.

The politicians were debating the Government’s foreign policy, particularly with China, as Mr Bridges quizzed Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern about the relationship during the first question time of 2019.

In asking a supplementary question to Jacinda Ardern, the Foreign Minister referenced the phone call that Jami-Lee Ross leaked to the media in which Mr Bridges was heard agreeing that two Chinese National MPs would be more valuable than two Indian MPs.

“Is it true, Prime Minister, that the Government’s position is to treat every nation and every people fairly, politely, equally, respectfully and would never say, for example, what one member of this house said, that two Chinese are better than two Indians?”

Mr Bridges returned a short time later in a question to Ms Ardern referencing a controversial joke made by Mr Peters in 2014.

“Does she agree with her Foreign Minster’s former comments that two Wongs don’t make a white?” Mr Bridges asked the Prime Minister.

The questions led to a warning for both Mr Bridges and Mr Peters from Speaker Trevor Mallard.

Today was the second day in a row the two exchanged barbs in Parliament, with Mr Peters yesterday mocking Mr Bridges' pronunciation of "China".  

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