Winston Peters has shown he respects Jacinda Ardern by how he's handled disagreements over COVID-19 alert levels, Duncan Garner says.
Peters and Ardern have been at odds over New Zealand's COVID-19 response over the last week after the deputy Prime Minister came out in support of immediately moving to alert level 1. She's previously acknowledged the "concern from New Zealand First".
"He had a view that we should move as of Monday ... obviously my job is to balance all of the advice that we receive from the scientists," she said this week.
"We had a consensus decision, although there was an alternate view presented by some members at the Cabinet table."
She told Parliament that parties in Government were aware of each other's opinions.
"What I will say is unlike, perhaps, some are modelling on the other side of the House, we are very aware of each other's opinions and we talk openly about them before we talk publicly about them," Ardern said.
On Tuesday, she also said the move will be considered next Monday.
Garner said on The AM Show on Wednesday that he believed Ardern and Peters had a "very respectful relationship" and that the New Zealand First leader was differentiating himself from Labour.
"This is Peters after 40 years showing that he can agree to disagree and she can agree to disagree with him as well," he said.
The AM Show host said Peters respects Ardern and "has shown that by treating her well during this disagreement".
Watch the video above.
