Winston Peters delivered a state of the nation speech in Christchurch and it was not without drama as he was repeatedly interrupted by hecklers.
Protesters and counter-protesters were gathered outside the James Hay
Theatre where Peters was speaking, raising issues ranging from
greyhound racing to the war in Gaza.
The disturbances were met with cheers and jeers from a crowd that sounded largely supportive of Peters' messaging.
During the speech Peters hailed New Zealand First as "a true nationalist party".
"We're going to declare a war on woke.
"Make New Zealand first again" he said.
"One of the most concerning and insidious cancers in our society today is the underlying creep of woke social engineering," Peters said.
"This seeping of the leftist group-think and condoned by too many on the right, has been mostly hidden from society in the way it has implanted itself in New Zealand."
Peters also spoke on reassessing New Zealand's commitments to the Paris Climate Agreement.
"Why are we making a rod for our own backs, punishing our farmers and our taxpayers and our economy, when China or the US could sneeze and produce more CO₂ overnight than we do in a year?"
"We together are going to take back control, take back our country, and Make New Zealand First Again," Peter's said at the speech's conclusion.
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By elocal magazine