The right-wing establishment and their media lapdogs are at it again, this time sinking their claws into a private citizen who dared to heckle Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters at a Wellington Railway Station press conference.
The NZ Herald, in a particularly vile move, has taken it upon themselves to play judge, jury, and executioner by tracking this man down to his private home, effectively helping to "cancel" him for expressing a political opinion. This isn't journalism...it’s a targeted hit job, and it’s despicable!
On May 20, 2025, a member of the public, wearing his companies lanyard, called out Peters during a rail funding announcement, labelling his comments “bollocks” and engaging in a heated exchange. Peters, never one to shy away from a scrap, fired back with his usual unhinged bluster, telling the man to “naff off” and later saying he wouldn’t care if the heckler lost his job.
Winston Peters has a meltdown after a man called out his attacks on Te Pāti Māori. Affirming that he was standing up for Māori, Winston says “that’ll be new for you”, apparently making an assumption based on the man’s ethnicity.
— ALL (@AotearoaLib) May 20, 2025
We recommend this man to be NZer of the year! pic.twitter.com/g9ILSqy66l
The right-wing troll machine then turned this fleeting moment into a full-blown campaign to ruin a private citizen’s life. Right-wing trolls organised online and actively went after this man for speaking his mind. The mainstream media didn't just report on the incident, The Herald hunted this man down, showing up at his home where he was reportedly “tearful” and “apologetic” under the weight of an employment investigation sparked by his employer’s grovelling apology to Peters.
Some might criticise their weakness, but with the coalition of chaos openly cutting funding for organisations that Peters views as the enemy, such as Radio NZ, they are right to try and limit any fallout for their company, which would include millions of dollars worth of cancelled government contracts.
They went round to his house because he heckled a politician?!?!?! https://t.co/iShUJlNraS
— Liam Hehir (@PronouncedHare) May 22, 2025
This is textbook cancel culture from the right, cloaked in the guise of “accountability.” The NZ Herald’s decision to invade this man’s privacy is a deliberate attempt to shame and silence someone for daring to challenge Peters’ rhetoric. The Free Speech Union rightly called out Tonkin + Taylor’s apology as setting a “dangerous precedent,” arguing that employers don’t own workers’ free time or their right to express political views...conveniently ignoring their own sides reprehensible conduct of cancelling critics of the National-led coalition government.
The Herald have gleefully fanned the flames, amplifying Peters’ narrative that the heckler’s behaviour was “disgraceful” and somehow a threat to public discourse. It's complete BS! People should be able to air their grievances about the government's numerous socially destructive policies without fear of personal retribution. But unfortunately it's one rule for me and another for thee when it comes to the right-wing.
Oh look the Ernie who mouthed off this morning has been identified.
— Holyhekatuiteka (@2ETEKA) May 19, 2025
He’s a rainbow brained DEI expert from Tonkin Taylor - a climate scam ‘engineer’.
Tonkin Taylor say they are all about creating a welcome and safe environment 😂 … and dIvErSiTy is their strength… dudes a… pic.twitter.com/K2ZHq4zL6c
The hypocrisy is glaring. Peters and his supporters cry foul over any criticism while ignoring the abuse endured by Winston Peters' opponents. Critics of Peters, from journalists to activists, have long faced vitriol, online harassment, threats, and smears, often egged on by his own inflammatory rhetoric.
Trans activists, Māori rights advocates, and even Labour’s Chris Hipkins have been on the receiving end of Peters’ barbed tongue and the right-wing mob’s wrath. Yet, when a citizen dares to clap back, the mainstream media's gestapo wing swings into action, painting them as the villain and interfering in their private life...all with the intent of cancelling their employment and silencing their voice.
This incident exposes the chilling reality: the right, with the NZ Herald as their champion, will hound anyone who steps out of line. Showing up at someone’s home to exploit their distress isn’t journalism, it’s intimidation. It’s a stark reminder that free speech in New Zealand is only free if you agree with the right-wing agenda. We should be defending this heckler’s right to speak out, not cheering his crucifixion. Shame on the NZ Herald for enabling this despicable witch hunt and shame on the members of Parliament who are arming right-wing trolls with the ability to cancel private citizens at will.
