Peters' Controversial Remarks Under Fire | Auckland News

Auckland News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Aug 5, 2026 · 1m

When Green MP Lawrence Xu-Nan, born in China and a New Zealand citizen, challenged Winston Peters over his infamous “go back to your own country” remark, the political firestorm ignited. Peters denied racism, clashed with the Prime Minister’s stance, and dodged direct accountability — until Speaker Gerry Brownlee forced him to respond. Amid diplomatic pressure from the Chinese Embassy and internal party tensions, Peters clung to his defense while the debate raged on — all while the Speaker reminded everyone that words matter, and every MP, no matter their tenure, is equal under Parliament’s…