Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters often describes NZ as a small and isolated nation situated 'just north of the penguins' but says in terms of global affairs, NZ and other small nations should be judged on the quality of their arguments and not the size of their military.
He has talked about the shift from rules-based trade to where the size and power of a nation override the rules-based system. Over many years, NZ has been recognised as a nation that supports, and needs for its survival, a rules-based trading system.
In recent years, NZ played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) - a trade deal between 12 Asia Pacific economies including Australia, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, NZ, Singapore, and Vietnam.
Peters says while negotiating the arrangement, NZ insisted on and got the significant words "comprehensive and progressive" to be included in the title of the agreement to give it more weight.
Reflecting on the evolution of the NZ economy over the years, Peters expresses disappointment. He says that countries such as Ireland and Australia have got the jump on us over the years. He says in 1981 when in Ireland, he saw a dramatic change in its development.
"In many ways, we have left ourselves behind. If we had been as clever as Ireland was then, we would be in a much better position than we are today," he told Rural News.
As Foreign Minister, Peters seems to spend as much time in his office. When Rural News pointed out his age - 80 - Peters laughed and pointed out he learned at an early age how to burn the candle at both ends.
"I was brought up on a farm and I had to milk the cows before I went to school and when I got home in the evening, I had to milk them before I did my homework, and that hard work in my early life has helped me deal with the hard work and long hours that I do as a politician," he says.
Peters also muses that older people should be encouraged to stay working, because they know what they are doing and don't mind working long hours.
"For us being five minutes early for work is being on time and being on time is late," he says.
