'What are you journalists doing about it?' - Winston Peters fires back over Dame Jenny Shipley staying on boards

February 27, 2019

“What are you journalists doing about it?" the Deputy PM shot back when asked what the Government's going to do about the matter.

Winston Peters has waded into the debate on whether former prime minister Dame Jenny Shipley should keep her director positions. 

The questions come in the wake of a High Court ruling that she is liable for up to $6 million after the collapse of construction company Mainzeal. 

This was the Deputy Prime Minister and New Zealand First Leader's response when asked what the Government was going to do about the former prime minister remaining on boards. 

“What are you journalists doing about it? I’ve been telling you for years, I’ve been telling you since the Winebox Inquiry, since the BNZ scandal about this person's incompetence and the incompetence of a number of National Party people to actually understand business or to represent our country properly.” 

Mr Peters says public money is not safe.

Mr Peters is with a cross-party delegation which will tour Fiji, Kiribati and Tuvalu as part of the Pacific Reset.

He said they had been spending time "resetting our relationship with Fiji as a result of the Pacific reset and political developments".

"Pacific people see climate change as a clear and present danger, we need to grasp that and have with other countries plans to mitigate the consequences of it".

Security, law and order, the policing of the fishing resource were also looked at by the delegation.

He said there was an increase in understanding the "seriousness" of what was required.

When asked about overseas countries in the Pacific, Mr Peters said "We'll do a whole lot better in helping our neighbourhood if we all work together, whatever our differences".

"We know there are countries that can help immensely in the Pacific, our job is to provide them with the leadership and direction and the confidence in joining in partnership with us."
 

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