I NEWS Colmar Brunton Poll: Almost a third of Kiwis think Winston Peters will do a good job as Acting Prime Minister

June 1, 2018

That’s according to the latest 1 NEWS Colmar Brunton Poll.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters will be running the country while Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is on maternity leave.

"It's no big deal. We're there to take care of business, that's what the country expects me to do and I will," Mr Peters said.

In the latest 1 NEWS Colmar Brunton Poll, we asked how people think Mr Peters will do.

Of those who responded to the poll, almost one third think he'll do a good job as the Acting Prime Minister, more than half think he'll do OK, 11 per cent think he'll do a bad job, and the rest are undecided.

The same question was asked in February and received very similar results, showing members of the public are rather comfortable with the idea.

"I think that's a reflection of the fact they know it's not for long and maybe there is a view he's mellowing with age," National Party leader Simon Bridges said.

Jim Bolger, who served as Prime Minister from 1990 to 1997, says he thinks "it'll be straightforward" for Mr Peters.

"He's been around a long time," Mr Bolger said.

Mr Peters was Mr Bolger's Deputy Prime Minister for one year in 1996.

"A lot of people have mixed views on Winston, of course, and I have to say, when he worked with me as a coalition leader, that went very well," Mr Bolger said.

"But of course, earlier, I fired him as minister so you know we've had our ups and downs."

Mr Peters won't be doing it alone, as ministers such as Grant Robertson will be available to help with the heavy lifting.

The Acting Prime Minister will be running the country day-to-day but will not be moving into the Prime Minister's ninth floor office in the Beehive.

Despite the positive response received in the poll, Mr Peters said he doesn't "believe in your polls. You know what I think of them".

However, he did have a message for the 11 per cent who believe he would do a bad job, saying, "I feel sorry for them."

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