Winston Peters
The Hon. Winston Peters is the leader of New Zealand First Party as well as the Former Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand. He also held the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand.
Biography
Mr. Winston Peters studied history, politics and law at the University of Auckland and graduated with a BA and LLB before working as a teacher and a lawyer. He is a New Zealand politician and leader of New Zealand First, a political party he founded in 1993. Peters has had a successful and turbulent political career since entering Parliament in 1978, first serving as a Cabinet Minister in the Bolger Government. As leader of New Zealand First, he held the balance of power after the 1996 election and formed a coalition with National, securing the positions of Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer.
New Zealand First entered into government again with the Labour Party in 2005, in which he served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
In the 2011 general election, New Zealand First experienced a resurgence in support, winning 6.8 percent of the party vote to secure eight seats in Parliament.
Further Information
“Cultural Diplomacy: A South Pacific Perspective”
