# Winston Peters claims Chris Hipkins tried to get NZ First to reverse rule-out

> NZ First leader Winston Peters says Labour leader Chris Hipkins reached out to his staff months ago to reverse coalition decision.
- Title: Winston Peters claims Chris Hipkins tried to get NZ First to…
- Summary: NZ First leader Winston Peters says Labour leader Chris Hipkins reached out to his staff months ago to reverse coalition decision. NZ First leader Winston…
- Keywords: winston peters, chris hipkins, nz first, labour, coalition, election 2026, new zealand, politics, news, Winston, Peters, claims
- Source: NZ Herald — https://nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/election-2026-winston-peters-claims-chris-hipkins-tried-to-get-nz-first-to-reverse-rule-out-labour-says-not-so/DXMWMMVIB5BI7KHUQJPY7MLMXI
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: winston peters, chris hipkins, nz first, labour, coalition, election 2026, new zealand, politics, news
## Winston Peters claims
NZ First leader Winston Peters revealed Labour leader Chris Hipkins reached out to his staff 'months and months ago' for coalition talks.

> months and months ago
## Peters accuses Hipkins of back channel
Peters claims Hipkins sought to go down back door to talk to his staff about reversing coalition decision.

> sought to go down the back door
## Labour denies
Labour spokesperson says 'absolutely not, Winston Peters will say anything for headlines'.

> absolutely not
## Peters ruled out Labour in 2022
Peters ruled out working with Labour in 2022, saying they couldn't be trusted.

> you don t get a second time to lie to me or my party and they did
## Labour delayed ruling
Labour took until August 2026 to definitively rule out governing deal with NZ First.

> it took labour until august this year
## Hipkins criticizes Peters
Hipkins said Peters 'has had his time' and didn't contribute constructively to political debate.

> has had his time
## Peters' timeline
Peters says the overture happened within past 12 months, not months ago.

> within the past 12 months
## Peters' intent
Peters believed the overture was intended to change his November 2022 interview statement.

> intended for me to change what i said in november of 2022
## Peters' claim
Peters says he has witnesses and facts to support his claim about Hipkins.

> i ve got the witnesses i have got the facts
## Peters' criticism
Peters says Hipkins is having a nightmare because he can't form coalition with current parties.

> he has had his time
## Polling possibility
Recent polling shows Labour could form government with Greens, Te Pāti Māori and Opportunity.

> recent polling has shown there is a possibility
## NZ First coalition
NZ First is currently in coalition with National and Act.

> nz first which has governed alongside both national and labour in the past
## Peters' timeline
Peters says the overture happened within past 12 months, not months ago.

> within the past 12 months
## Peters' intent
Peters believed the overture was intended to change his November 2022 interview statement.

> intended for me to change what i said in november of 2022
## Peters' claim
Peters says he has witnesses and facts to support his claim about Hipkins.

> i ve got the witnesses i have got the facts
## Peters' criticism
Peters says Hipkins is having a nightmare because he can't form coalition with current parties.

> he has had his time
## Key takeaway

NZ First leader Winston Peters claims Labour leader Chris Hipkins tried to get him to reverse his decision to rule out coalition with Labour.