��һ�ǿ�����

Foreign Minister Winston Peters confirmed he had an operation pre-Christmas which he is still recovering from. 

Speaking to ��һ�ǿ�����talk ZB’s Summer Breakfast with Andrew Dickens, Peters said he’s still taking it easy because of the surgery when asked if he was still riding horses. 

Peters said he’s still taking it easy because of a “long-delayed operation” when asked if he was still riding horses. 

“I decided I had enough pain and so I went and got myself an operation in early December and got back to work within a week of that. 

“But I’m just taking it easy until I know I’m perfectly right because, you know, it isn’t my first rodeo, but I don’t want to be falling off, do I?” 

It isn’t clear what type of surgery the Foreign Minister had, but this isn’t the first time he’s had surgery while in office. 

In 2020 he had keyhole surgery after being hit by symptoms of food poisoning, while a “serious” 2019 surgery kept him away from Parliament for four weeks. 

The NZ First leader would not say what that surgery was for, but then-Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told media he was taking time off after a “small surgical procedure to address an old leg issue” she thought to be linked to an old rugby injury. 

He also had shoulder surgery in 2004 after an injury sustained in an accident. 

Peters gave no indication he would be slowing down any time soon, though, after being asked how many years he had left in him after turning 80 last year. 

• "Stuck to the essentials": Winston Peters unpacks NZ First's rising support

New Zealand First Party leader Winston Peters said he doesn't want to be falling off horses after a surgery in December. Photo / Dean Purcell 

“A serious acquaintance of mine, who I’ve known for decades and decades, made a comeback to be the Prime Minister of Malaysia at 93 years of age and he’s hitting 100 at the moment, he’s bouncing around advising all the people there. 

“And then I see Warren Buffett still bouncing around, running one of the finest funds in the world. 

“And so I’ve taken the advice of a very bright, former political adviser of mine or media adviser of mine who said to me, and this guy is a Malaysian war veteran, he said to me, Winston, I’ve got some good advice for you: Don’t act your age.” 

The Foreign Minister is taking some time off over the summer to be “fit” and “ready for a tough year”.