Morning Report: Winston Peters and John Campbell in fiery clash over UN document

Watch John Campbell’s full Morning Report interview with Winston Peters below.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters says signing up to the non-binding political declaration on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response would have been “problematic”.

Speaking to Morning Report, Peters rejected the idea that not signing up was “performative”.

Minister Peters did not notify the Prime Minister nor the Health Minister this week that he would not sign up to the global agreement, but says he told Simeon Brown “weeks ago”.

New Zealand became one of only two countries to abstain from a global agreement on preparing for future pandemics at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.

National Party Ministers say they supported the vote.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said New Zealand supported the aim, but wanted to protect sovereign decision-making on health.

Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey says National Ministers took a different view, wanting to vote in favour, while registering this country’s reservations.

But he says a Cabinet decision was not required, and Peters made his decision as Foreign Affairs Minister.