Coalition chaos: David Seymour says Winston Peters ‘getting ready to go with Labour’
Thursday, 20 November 2025
NZ First leader Winston Peters has angered his coalition partner, ACT leader David Seymour, with a promise to repeal his signature policy.
Peters told Radio Waatea earlier on Thursday that he would campaign on getting rid of ACT’s Regulatory Standards Bill - which he voted for and only came into force two days ago.
Seymour responded immediately to say this was “pretty worrying” and “it sounds like he’s getting ready to go with Labour again”.
The controversial Regulatory Standards Bill looks to ensure that new laws or regulations comply with a set of principles set out by the Government, including respect for property rights and individual liberties. It does not actively hinder any Government from passing a law, but sets up a body that would publicly judge whether new laws adhered to these standards.
Peters told media on his way into the House that the bill infringed too heavily on the rights of Government to govern.
“We believe in the fundamental principles of democracy and the paramountcy of Parliament, not on an unelected committee,” Peters said.
Peters said he had agreed to vote for the bill as it was in the coalition agreement and in the interests of “governing stability”.
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Seymour responded almost immediately and said Peters was essentially taking on the Labour Party’s view.
“It's pretty worrying, because that's Labour's position. It sounds like he's getting ready to go with Labour again,” Seymour said.
“What's clear is that this is a landmark piece of legislation that ACT would never vote to get rid of. So if he wants to do that, he's got to go with Labour.”
Asked if Peters was honouring the coalition, Seymour said his worry was that “he seems to be lining up for a different kind of coalition.”
Despite this new stance from Peters, NZ First MP Casey Costello was full of praise for the bill when speaking at its third reading last Thursday.
“We support this bill because on the fundamentals, it promotes an open and accountable Government that legislates with key principles in mind: the rule of law, efficiency and regulation, property rights, an independent judiciary, and the belief that every New Zealander is equal before the law,” Costello said.
“So, therefore, we have no hesitation in commending this bill to the House.”
Peters said Costello had only said this as she hadn’t had a chance to talk to him yet.
National’s Chris Bishop would not be drawn on whether National would rule out repealing the bill.
“Put it this way - it was not a National Party policy to have a Regulatory Standards Act going into the 2023 election. We now have a Regulatory Standards Act as a result of the coalition,” Bishop said.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said there was a “long way to go before an election” and he was focused on fixing the economy.
Labour deputy leader Carmel Sepuloni said it was good to see NZ First come to her party’s view on the bill.