Winston Peters

New Zealand politician

Winston Raymond Peters PC (born 11 April 1945) is a New Zealand politician who is the Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand and Minister of Foreign Affairs since 2023. He served as Deputy Prime Minister from 1996 to 1998 and again from 2017 to 2020. He serves under a coalition government alongside Jacinda Ardern upon the 2017 election.


Winston Peters

Peters at the ASEAN Summit in the Philippines in 2017
Peters in 2017
13th Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand
Assumed office
27 November 2023
Prime MinisterChristopher Luxon
Governor-GeneralCindy Kiro
Preceded byCarmel Sepuloni
In office
26 October 2017 – 6 November 2020
Prime MinisterJacinda Ardern
Governor-GeneralPatsy Reddy
Preceded byPaula Bennett
Succeeded byGrant Robertson
In office
16 December 1996 – 14 August 1998
Prime MinisterJim Bolger
Jenny Shipley
Governor-GeneralMichael Hardie Boys
Preceded byDon McKinnon
Succeeded byWyatt Creech
25th Minister of Foreign Affairs
Assumed office
27 November 2023
Prime MinisterChristopher Luxon
Preceded byGrant Robertson
In office
26 October 2017 – 6 November 2020
Prime MinisterJacinda Ardern
Preceded byGerry Brownlee
Succeeded byNanaia Mahuta
In office
19 October 2005 – 29 August 2008
Prime MinisterHelen Clark
Preceded byPhil Goff
Succeeded byMurray McCully
Leader of New Zealand First
Assumed office
18 July 1993
PresidentDoug Woolerton
Dail Jones
George Groombridge
Kevin Gardener
Anne Martin
Brent Catchpole
DeputyTau Henare
Peter Brown
Tracey Martin
Ron Mark
Fletcher Tabuteau
Preceded byOffice established
1st Treasurer of New Zealand
In office
16 December 1996 – 14 August 1998
Prime MinisterJim Bolger
Jenny Shipley
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byBill Birch
35th Minister of Māori Affairs
In office
2 November 1990 – 1 October 1991
Prime MinisterJim Bolger
Preceded byKoro Wētere
Succeeded byDoug Kidd
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
Assumed office
14 October 2023
ConstituencyNew Zealand First List
In office
23 September 2017 – 17 October 2020
ConstituencyNew Zealand First List
In office
28 March 2015 – 23 September 2017
Preceded byMike Sabin
Succeeded byMatt King
In office
26 November 2011 – 28 March 2015
ConstituencyNew Zealand First List
In office
17 September 2005 – 3 October 2008
ConstituencyNew Zealand First List
In office
17 July 1984 – 17 September 2005
Preceded byKeith Allen
Succeeded byBob Clarkson
ConstituencyTauranga
In office
24 May 1979 – 28 November 1981
Preceded byMalcolm Douglas
Succeeded byColin Moyle
ConstituencyHunua
Personal details
Born
Wynston Raymond Peters[1]

(1945-04-11) 11 April 1945 (age 79)
Whangarei, New Zealand
Political partyNational (Before 1993)
New Zealand First (1993–present)
Spouse(s)
Louise
(m. 1973; separated 1995)
[2]
Children2
RelativesJim (Brother)
Ian (Brother)
Alma materUniversity of Auckland
Signature

Peters led the populist New Zealand First party since 1993. He was a Member of Parliament from 2011 to 2020, having served from 1979 to 1981 and 1984 to 2008.[3]

Peters was not in Parliament between 2020 and 2023. But, was re-elected in the 2023 general election, where his New Zealand First Party won 8 seats. Peters will be co-deputy prime minister from the swearing in of the 54th Parliament of New Zealand to the 31st of May 2025.

References change

  1. Cooke, Henry (6 October 2017). "A brief history of Winston Raymond Peters". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
  2. Wall, Tony (12 May 2010). "Winston: The comeback king". Sunday Star-Times.
  3. Bale, Tim; Blomgren, Magnus (2008). Close but no cigar?: Newly governing and nearly governing parties in Sweden and New Zealand. Routledge. p. 94. ISBN 9780415404990. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)