NZ First is the only Party having public meetings

In a 1News story on the June 2026 Verian poll, Winston Peters said NZ First's surge was because it was "the only party having public meetings in this country," describing it as going out to see "ordinary New Zealanders all around New Zealand and sharing their concerns and listening to them, and, you know, it's old-fashioned politics, but it's very necessary."

In reality, every party runs candidate/public meetings and has done so for years, and is doing so this year as well.