Greens leader James Shaw has been under the cosh for his Green School decision, but what's going on behind the scenes and will it cost votes? Social media rears it's sulky head, vaccination lies and debate over 'the single source of truth'. Plus, is Winston Peters in cabinet or not?

By Tim Watkin

It's a rule of the playground, probably even at a Green School. Naughty kids can get away with things good kids can't because, well, people don't expect anything else. They can smoke behind the bike-sheds and just get a glare and a warning. But if the school prefect is caught doing the same thing, there's hell to pay. Expectations and reputations matter, at school and in politics. As James Shaw is being reminded this week.

In this scenario, laid out by Guyon Espiner on today's Caucus election podcast, the ever-suited Shaw is the prefect. The good kid who never makes a fuss and sets an example. That's long been key to the Green Party brand - that they don't get down and dirty like those other kids. Kids like, well, Winston Peters, for example.

Shaw has made Peters a focus of his criticism this year, arguing that the New Zealand First leader has played fast and loose with the government agenda, been an agent of "chaos" in cabinet and seemed to support policies only to u-turn after months of work. Peters, says Shaw, is the school bully and wants rid of him next term.

But that casting was turned on its head this week with news Shaw had not only backed $11.7m of government funding for the Green School, a private school in Taranaki, but told his coalition partners wouldn't sign off on $600m in other infrastructure funding unless the Green School was on the list.

As Espiner says, it's not entirely fair on Shaw. He's usually the halo pupil, but the one time he goes off for that metaphorical smoke behind the bike-shed, he gets caught and hauled over the coals. He gets damned as a pork-barreler for insisting on $11.7m for a private school, while Peters commits $72.5m to the racing industry with far less criticism, 'because that's just Winston'.

Indeed, this week Peters has broken with collective cabinet responsibility to damn his own government's response to Covid-19. Having claimed credit for New Zealand's initial success, yesterday Peters said Labour was responsible for the government's recent failings, despite the fact he sat around the cabinet table, took part in the decision-making and has been no less than Deputy Prime Minister throughout. As Espiner and Scott Campbell point out, past ministers have resigned before criticising cabinet decisions. Yet Peters hasn't been called out. So when exactly is a government minister, not a government minister?…

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details