# Winston Peters and John Campbell clash over UN pandemic vote

> New Zealand's foreign minister rejects signing UN pandemic agreement, sparking debate with National Party leader.
- Title: Winston Peters and John Campbell clash over UN pandemic vote
- Summary: New Zealand's foreign minister rejects signing UN pandemic agreement, sparking debate with National Party leader. New Zealand abstained from UN pandemic…
- Keywords: winston peters, john campbell, un pandemic vote, national party, new zealand, foreign minister, un agreement, politics, news, Winston, Peters, John
- Source: RNZ — https://rnz.co.nz/news/politics_election-2026/1886541/morning-report-winston-peters-and-john-campbell-in-fiery-clash-over-un-document
- Author: RNZ | Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa
- Published: 2026-10-13T20:05:01+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: winston peters, john campbell, un pandemic vote, national party, new zealand, foreign minister, un agreement, politics, news
## Winston Peters rejects UN pandemic agreement
Foreign Minister Winston Peters says signing the non-binding political declaration on pandemic prevention would have been 'problematic' for New Zealand.

> problematic
## New Zealand abstained from UN pandemic vote
New Zealand became one of only two countries to abstain from a global agreement on pandemic preparedness at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.
## National Party supports UN pandemic vote
National Party Ministers say they supported the UN pandemic vote, with Foreign Minister Peters telling Simeon Brown he made his decision weeks ago.
## Key takeaway

New Zealand abstained from UN pandemic agreement, with Foreign Minister Winston Peters saying signing would be 'problematic' while National Party leaders supported the vote.