I woke up this morning thinking to myself that I might start the programme today singing Winston Peters praises only to find that Mike Hosking was doing the same in the breakfast show.

Winston holds a special place in our politics. 

He’s the great survivor. Even when he’s on the outer politically he can always find a way to still be part of our nation’s dialogue.  In opposition he can seem inflammatory, seeking a headline and rubbing some up the wrong way.  His politics is an interesting blend of both social democracy and conservatism with a small c. He cares but he’s also tough.

But whenever he’s in government, and he’s been in government with everyone, he steps up to the mark. He’s been a very good foreign minister twice.  Give the dog a job and he becomes a very good dog. But in these days of MMP many think he’s the tail that wags the dog. Which he is. It’s worth remembering that if he’d gone with National after the last election he’d be swinging his influence around just as much as he is doing with this mob. After all the Maori Party used to be the tail that wagged national’s dog.

But all he’s doing is staying true to the policies that got him votes in the first place. 

So he kai-boshed Labour’s plan to scrub three strikes. Of course he did. The simple fact is that Labour and the Greens did not have the numbers to pass anti three strikes legislation. In any case it’s not a big deal, it affects a handful of people and good on Andrew Little for stepping down from the issue graciously.

So to Nauru. I’m loving what he’s doing even if it’s a bit unorthodox and I think he’s representing New Zealand truthfully. 

He is not stepping away from our good Samaritan gesture of offering haven for 150 refugees, but he is, rightfully, saying that this is an issue for Australia, Nauru and the US.

He is not saying we’re doubling our refugee quota because as yet it’s not our position. It is a Labour policy to double the quota but they haven’t cemented it in as New Zealand’s policy through the Cabinet process.  They knew the South Pacific Forum was scheduled and this would be an issue. If Labour they really cared they should have talked about all this with their coalition partners before now. The Prime Minister has no right to be upset because she has not managed the issue correctly yet.

His unorthodox move was saying that if Australia is worrying that 150 refugees were using New Zealand as a back door to their country then we can make it that we’re not. Maybe I’m naïve but I can’t see why we don’t grant a refugee citizenship that has a condition on it that you don’t get reciprocal residency in Oz. It seems a simple if unelegant answer to a longstanding problem. I know it’s conditional citizenship but I’m pretty sure that if you’re stuck living in a tent in Nauru then it would sound pretty attractive.

To me, Winston has been straight talking, calm and logical. He has done very well so far. He has given more to this coalition than he’s taken away. I guess all those who thought he’d go rogue and bring the government down must be feeling a little disappointed so far.