Winston Peters is fighting the wrong battle while New Zealand struggles

OPINION: Winston Peters has found another hill to die on. This time, it is not foreign ownership, immigration, or coalition leverage. It is Parliament no longer posting on X, a decision confirmed by the official parliamentary account.

The veteran politician took to social media to attack the decision, questioning its authority and framing it as an assault on democratic communication. He implied shadowy officials were making unilateral calls that somehow threaten public access. He made sure to be the loudest one in the room, having a whinge.

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Image: NZ Parliament announced it will no longer post updates on X, directing the public to its website and other social media platforms instead. (Screenshot / X / @NZParliament)

Parliament has not stopped communicating with New Zealanders, and its website remains active. Parliamentary proceedings continue to be broadcast live. Other social platforms still carry official updates.

Democracy has not been silenced because one social media platform is no longer part of the mix.

Peters chose to frame the issue as a crisis, but the reality facing New Zealanders looks very different.

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Families are stretched by rising grocery bills and housing costs. The health system continues to strain under workforce shortages and economic uncertainty hangs over households and businesses alike.

Image: Winston Peters criticises Parliament’s decision to stop posting on X in a public statement shared on social media. (Supplied / X / @winstonpeters)

Outrage over Parliament’s presence on X feels disconnected from the urgency of real life.

The platform itself has become increasingly controversial. Owned by billionaire Elon Musk, X has seen declining institutional engagement and growing concerns about reliability and moderation. Many public bodies around the world have reassessed their use of the service. Parliament’s decision sits within that broader trend. It is an operational communications choice, not a constitutional rupture.

But Peters has turned it into political theatre.

Image: Winston Peters speaking to the media from a 2025 YouTube clip. (Supplied / YouTube / Screenshot courtesy of New Zealand First ZJEs0yaNFfU)

This theatrical rhetoric is not new.

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Peters has built a career on identifying flashpoints and amplifying them by having a whinge every single time, usually on social media. He understands media attention and thrives in the spotlight.

What is less clear is how this helps New Zealanders struggling with tangible pressures.

There is a widening gap between symbolic battles and substantive solutions, and public patience is thinning. Voters want action on housing supply, healthcare access, economic stability, and cost of living relief. They want leadership focused on outcomes, not theatrics.

Parliament continues to function, and the machinery of democracy has not paused because of a social media policy shift.

After decades in politics, Peters knows the difference between signal and noise. The question now is why he is choosing noise.

New Zealand needs clear thinking, steady leadership, and policies that deliver real relief.

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