Chris Hipkins denies Labour MPs are talking to Winston Peters about coalition hopes - but they are

Monday, 1 December 2025

It’s arguably the biggest question of the next election: what will Winston do? Labour Leader Chris Hipkins has reopened the door to working with NZ First after slamming it shut last election. He denies his MPs are in discussions with Peters to rebuild the relationship between the two parties but as Political Editor Tova O’Brien can reveal conversations about coalition “opportunities” are taking place.

Entering the Labour Party’s annual conference on a muggy, grey Auckland afternoon, the vibe was more Berlin-day-rave than policy-wonk-fest - though plenty of wonkers were in attendance.

An auditorium of red lights, laser beams and air thick with the haze of smoke machine fog, the party’s most die-hard faithful needed no help buoying the mood. The roof already raised by the prospect of an election too-close-to-call meant the surprise appearance of Kiwi music queen, Annie Crummer, sent the rafters stratospheric.

It also meant that Labour Leader Chris Hipkins’ minor announcement of low-interest loans to help doctors and nurse practitioners set up GP practices didn’t need to set their world on fire - that it was about access to health care was enough to get a standing ovation.

The loudest cheer came when they were told the money was ‘NOT’ - in capital letters - for ‘big health corporates’, rather, local family doctors.

As proud as Hipkins was, during his speech, to hold up his ‘medicard’ - the three free doctors’ visits paid for by a narrow capital gains tax - this is not Labour’s slam dunk election winning move.

As it stands, to win, the party needs two things or a combination thereof.

National to lose and/or New Zealand First’s support to govern.

On the former, Hipkins spent almost too much time shit talking the Prime Minister and his team. Five mentions for Christopher Luxon, two for Nicola Willis and seven reverse-shout-outs for the National party itself.

And on the latter point, work is underway. Work to build bridges between Labour and New Zealand First and work expounding on Labour party policy with Winston Peters.

Not that Hipkins will acknowledge it - or perhaps he’s in the dark.

Senior Labour MP - former minister of Defence, Whanau Ora, Tourism and others - Peeni Henare is in talks with Winston Peters.

They talk about all sorts including, you know, opportunities next year.

Asked by Stuff if he’s speaking to Winston Peters on behalf of Labour, having any kind of informal chats, Henare said he “certainly” does because of foreign affairs. He’s Labour’s spokesperson, Peters is the minister.

“I certainly do because of foreign affairs - and it comes up.”

Stuff: “what comes up?”

Henare: “Oh, you know, talking about opportunities next year.”

And it appears Peters is taking an active regard in Labour. They talk policy.

“He takes a bloody good interest in our policies, asks for some of the details, so I have that time with him.”

Asked by Stuff if he is building a bridge between Labour and New Zealand First in a “potential coalition kind of a way”?

Henare explains, “oh look, we’ve got to keep all those options alive, right?”

“And I’m lucky because he’s my uncle so I get on with him and matua Shane [Jones] and I get that time with him and exposure to him.”

Ask the Labour leader, though, and those conversations are NOT - in capital letters - happening.

“Peeni Henare has not been having those conversations,” Hipkins tells Stuff when asked if Henare’s reported back on any chats he’s been having with Peters about potential coalition talks.

Stuff: “Has he not mentioned anything to you?”

Hipkins: “He hasn’t been having those conversations.”

Except he has.

Asked if Henare gets the impression from Peters that, perhaps, he could open NZ First’s door again to Labour, Henare is optimistic.

“Yeah, he's a wily old dog, he keeps his cards close to his chest so I can't say either way because he's just such a good, seasoned professional but, you know, we've always got to be hopeful.”

Certainly Peters’ coalition partner and co-deputy Prime Minister David Seymour thinks the eye of the “wily old dog” is wandering after Peters renounced support for Seymour’s Regulatory Standards Bill having just voted it into law.

There’s also mounting commonality between NZ First Policy and Labour’s fledgling 2026 manifesto.

But - here’s the rub - Peters has ruled out working with Hipkins, personally, “permanently”.

And, in a one on one interview with Stuff last week, Hipkins made clear he would not be stepping down as leader even if it meant Labour returning to power with NZ First’s support.

Asked if would open the door to Labour again, even under Hipkins, Peters told Stuff, “NZ First has not, and does not get involved in other party leadership problems”. He also noted our interview with Hipkins: “headline hunting drivel”.

Stuff also asked Peters if he was having conversations with Labour MPs about options for a coalition next year or bridge building conversations between the party.

“I have given you the full and only answer your specious questions are going to get. Whatever you speculate on now will be devoid of merit. I could go on but fresh back from overseas to do would just be pointless. No wonder so much of the MSM is beyond recovery,” Peters told Stuff.

So then what?

“When I have those discussions with him,” says Henare of Peters, “we don’t talk about Chippy directly.”

Ouch, he’s not even being talked about.

“But he’s [Peters’] certainly not cold towards him [Hipkins], he never says a bad word, to me anyway, about any of our caucus colleagues.

“But he’s very straight up the guts when it comes to our policy and what he thinks about them.”

A rapprochement perhaps but it’s feedback which may or may not be reaching Hipkins and his team of policy panel beaters.

“Oh they always tell me if there's anything that I need to be aware of,” Hipkins tells Stuff of the interactions he says his Māori MPs are having with Peters and NZ First deputy Shane Jones.

“But I’m absolutely confident that there are no secret discussions taking place.”

Not secret, at least not any more, but discussions are taking place.