Deputy PM Speaks Out After Major Sailing Event Abandoned Due to Dolphin Sighting

New Zealand has already lost out on several major sporting events, an issue Winston Peters says is due to overregulation.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters (R) in the crowd as farmer lobby group Groundswell NZ gathers in Auckland to raise awareness and urge people to vote in the general election on October 14 at Ellerslie Racecourse on October 01, 2023 in Auckland, New Zealand. Fiona Goodall/Getty Images

NZ First leader and Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has taken a swipe at what he says are “overly influential bureaucratic processes” which may signal the end of the New Zealand leg of the Sail GP.

SailGP is a global sailing championship that features some of the world’s best sailors competing in high-speed, high-performance F50 catamarans. The event was created by New Zealand-born Olympic Gold Medallist sailor Sir Russell Coutts, who now serves as its chief executive.