Deputy Prime Minister and New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has kicked off the first major political event of the year with a frequent sport of his - mocking Opposition Leader Simon Bridges.
Politicians from each party are at Rātana today, a small town near Whanganui.
Last week, the Serious Fraud Office confirmed an announcement is imminent for the investigation into National's donation scandal.
When asked by media today, Mr Peters said if he were the National leader right now, "I'd be worried on a lot of counts".
But he didn't stop there.
"I'd be seriously worried in many ways, because if all I could do is act like a badly bred dog at a front gate, barking at anything and everything, then I'd know my political career wasn't going to go too well in the future, would I?" Mr Peters said.
"And that's exactly what he resembles."
Mr Bridges says National could do more for them – and all Māori – if elected.
The Serious Fraud Office's investigation was kicked off in March last year, over the handling of an alleged $100,000 donation from a wealthy businessman.
Former National MP Jami-Lee Ross claims he was told by Mr Bridges not to make the donation public, before money arrived in smaller chunks that were under the threshold for declaration.
His complaint was laid with the police, who referred it to the Serious Fraud Office.
Mr Bridges and the National Party have denied any wrongdoing.
SHARE ME