Greens and NZ First clash sparks fears of ‘dirty campaign’ for election

A war of words has erupted between the Green Party and NZ First this week.

It comes after photos circulated on social from a private Instagram account belonging to Green MP Benjamin Doyle. The account, named ‘biblebeltbussy’, also featured photos of their child, including one with ‘bussy’ in the caption.

The term originated as a euphuism for a man’s anus, and can be used colloquially by some in the gay community, but Doyle’s usage of it has sparked accusations of vulgarity and being inappropriate.

That was amplified by Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters, who said on social media that Doyle should answer for the posts and that if “Police want to investigate, they can”.

The Green Party has said that Doyle has received death threats as a result and have called for the Prime Minister to intervene.

So does this suggest a changing battleground for politics, with family issues and social media activists taking centre stage?

Today on The Front Page, we’re joined by Victoria University of Wellington politics professor Lara Greaves to discuss a different type of political scandal.

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