The leaders of NZ First and National have been trading jabs today, as points of friction get discussed.

Winston Peters has voiced opposition to the Free Trade Agreement with India, which the Government is signing in New Delhi next week - despite not having the numbers to pass it into law.

Winston Peters says despite this, he's not negotiating with Labour, even if they win the election.

"I said, four years ago, clearly...I was never going to go back with Labour, for the reasons I laid out."

LISTEN ABOVE

The leaders of NZ First and National have been trading jabs today, as points of friction get discussed.
Winston Peters has voiced opposition to the Free Trade Agreement with India, which the Government is signing in New Delhi next week - despite not having the numbers to pass it into law.
Winston Peters says despite this, he's not negotiating with Labour, even if they win the election.
"I said, four years ago, clearly...I was never going to go back with Labour, for the reasons I laid out."
LISTEN ABOVE

With a straight down the middle approach, Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive on Newstalk ZB delivers the very latest news and views to New Zealanders as they wrap up their day.

Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Winston Peters: NZ First leader on National and NZ First trading political jabs

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/873ceb9a-6a18-49a7-8ed7-b434005ea70d/transcript

The fightback has started, hasn’t it?

National’s leadership team have clearly come out of yesterday’s caucus meeting with very clear instructions: get the National Party vote back off New Zealand First. And they’ve come out hard.

It started with Nicola Willis on Mike Hosking just after 7am, warning that Winston Peters might pick Labour after the next election. The attack from her on that show was so pointed I was actually surprised - because these two are mates. They drink together, they work together, they’re on the same floor as each other in the Beehive.

But then, five hours later, the Prime Minister is on The Country with Jamie Mackay, saying almost exactly the same thing. Which tells you Nicola didn’t just react in the heat of the moment, coming off the high of what happened in caucus. These are the lines they’ve decided to go out with.

They have decided to attack New Zealand First. The question is: what took them so long?

Because this is what they needed to do months ago, when it became obvious they were bleeding votes to New Zealand First. That is what’s happening here. New Zealand First - and Winston - are going up and the National Party is going down because National voters are shifting across to New Zealand First.

Right now, 52 percent of Winston’s supporters voted National at the last election.

This is exactly the right strategy Nicola Willis and Chris Luxon should be taking - because it’s true. There is a risk that New Zealand First goes with Labour. Even though Winston says it ain’t going to happen, there is a risk.

He’s done it before. In 1996 he told voters to help him put, quote, “Jim Bolger in opposition where he belongs”. And who did he pick after that election? He picked Jim Bolger.
Of course, Winston’s not going to admit he’s open to Labour - even if he is - because then he can’t rely on stealing all of those National Party voters. They’re not going to go to him if they think he’s going to put Jacinda’s lot back in charge.

This is exactly the attack Luxon and Willis need to launch on New Zealand First if they want to keep their jobs by keeping the polling up.

So let’s see if it works. I reckon it might.

Watch the next poll. Watch for National going up and New Zealand First either going down or plateauing. That will tell us whether the fightback is working.

LISTEN ABOVE

The fightback has started, hasn’t it?
National’s leadership team have clearly come out of yesterday’s caucus meeting with very clear instructions: get the National Party vote back off New Zealand First. And they’ve come out hard.
It started with Nicola Willis on Mike Hosking just after 7am, warning that Winston Peters might pick Labour after the next election. The attack from her on that show was so pointed I was actually surprised - because these two are mates. They drink together, they work together, they’re on the same floor as each other in the Beehive.
But then, five hours later, the Prime Minister is on The Country with Jamie Mackay, saying almost exactly the same thing. Which tells you Nicola didn’t just react in the heat of the moment, coming off the high of what happened in caucus. These are the lines they’ve decided to go out with.
They have decided to attack New Zealand First.&nbsp;The question is: what took them so long?
Because this is what they needed to do months ago, when it became obvious they were bleeding votes to New Zealand First. That is what’s happening here. New Zealand First - and Winston - are going up and the National Party is going down because National voters are shifting across to New Zealand First.
Right now, 52 percent of Winston’s supporters voted National at the last election.
This is exactly the right strategy Nicola Willis and Chris Luxon should be taking - because it’s true. There is a risk that New Zealand First goes with Labour. Even though Winston says it ain’t going to happen, there is a risk.
He’s done it before. In 1996 he told voters to help him put, quote, “Jim Bolger in opposition where he belongs”. And who did he pick after that election? He picked Jim Bolger. Of course, Winston’s not going to admit he’s open to Labour - even if he is - because then he can’t rely on stealing all of those National Party voters. They’re not going to go to him if they think he’s going to put Jacinda’s lot back in charge.
This is exactly the attack Luxon and Willis need to launch on New Zealand First if they want to keep their jobs by keeping the polling up.
So let’s see if it works. I reckon it might.
Watch the next poll. Watch for National going up and New Zealand First either going down or plateauing. That will tell us whether the fightback is working.
LISTEN ABOVE

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: What took National's leadership team so long here?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/50c1a4fa-d310-4d27-90af-b434007b3cbf/transcript

Listen to the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 22 April.

Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen to the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 22 April. 
Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Full Show Podcast: 22 April 2026 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/80ec16f5-611f-4ff0-830d-b434007661a5/transcript

Millions of people around the world rely on their smartwatches to track their calories, sleep hours and workout stats, but new data has raised concerns.

Reports indicate that smartwatches don't measure most of these metrics directly, with many common metrics just being estimates.

Body Torque Personal Training founder Alex Flint says things like calories burned, fitness scores, and hours slept aren't accurately tracked.

"I use it as an overall guide, I think probably the best thing that I would use it for is just to see how I feel - compared to what my watch is telling me."

LISTEN ABOVE

Millions of people around the world rely on their smartwatches to track their calories, sleep hours and workout stats, but new data has raised concerns.
Reports indicate that smartwatches don't measure most of these metrics directly, with many common metrics just being estimates.
Body Torque Personal Training founder Alex Flint says things like calories burned, fitness scores, and hours slept aren't accurately tracked.
"I use it as an overall guide, I think probably the best thing that I would use it for is just to see how I feel - compared to what my watch is telling me."
LISTEN ABOVE

Alex Flint: Body Torque Personal Training founder on the new research revealing smartwatches aren't that reliable

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/8902268d-4285-48ad-a187-b434007367a5/transcript

Winston Peters: NZ First leader on National and NZ First trading political jabs

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