Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has fired back at criticism from the Green Party, accusing it of using identity politics to shield its MP from accountability.

The dispute centres on Green MP Benjamin Doyle’s social media posts made from a private account, which included the term “bussy.”

The slang term, combines “boy” and a vulgar word for anatomy.  Online critics, including Peters, labelled the posts as inappropriate.

However, Green Party co-leaders defended the material, arguing the language was misunderstood and culturally specific to queer communities.

Peters said, “The Green Party are wanting to invoke and hide behind the ‘identity politics’ card. This is how deluded the Greens are.”

His comments came in response to criticism from Green Party co-leaders Chlöe Swarbrick and Marama Davidson, who accused Peters, at a media briefing, of amplifying disinformation and contributing to online abuse directed at Green MP Benjamin Doyle.

Swarbrick said, “This morning, the Deputy Prime Minister has decided to double down on disinformation, fanning the flames of hatred towards the rainbow community that we have recently seen can lead to real-world violence.”

Peters questioned how Doyle’s own social media posts could be labelled disinformation.

“How are Doyle’s own social media posts, that he posted himself, suddenly ‘disinformation’? Or is there a new thing called ‘self-inflicted disinformation’ now? All we have said is that they are inappropriate and that the media need to ask questions. How is that ‘disinformation’? How is that an attack on the rainbow community?

“If it was a straight white male MP doing the same thing with dodgy posts, we would call it out too.

“It’s clear the Green Party think that Doyle’s posts, language and innuendo are perfectly acceptable – the rest of New Zealand does not – including members of the rainbow community.

“Any Kiwi looking at those posts would have some serious questions and doubts about the suitability of these Green Party MPs.”

Peters added, “Every death threat is unacceptable and should be taken seriously by authorities. I know, because I have had plenty – it comes with the territory.

“But let’s get the facts straight: the Green Party themselves told me he was receiving these ‘death threats’ about this issue well before I posted anything on social media.”

Marama Davidson said, “We are calling on the Prime Minister to take responsibility for the behaviour of his coalition colleague. We are deeply concerned that the Deputy Prime Minister has doubled down on disinformation and is actively fanning flames of hatred towards the beautiful rainbow community.

“I am especially concerned about the risk of real violence. Over the weekend, Green Party representatives reached out to the Prime Minister directly and to New Zealand First’s chief of staff to ensure they understand the danger this behaviour creates.

“We are currently screening an immense number of death threats and abuse directed at our MP Benjamin Doyle and their child. These threats are driven by dangerous conspiracy thinking and are amplified by Destiny’s Church and the Deputy Prime Minister.

“Members of any minority community, like our rainbow community, are accustomed to using and co-opting terms that may not be well understood by external groups, often with irreverence and absurdity. The central conspiracy here is that the use of such a word on a private account by an MP, before they were an MP, is inherently suspicious.

“This isn’t the standard politicking by the Deputy Prime Minister. This isn’t a game of who’s winning this round of clickbait. Just a month ago, we’ve seen Destiny Church physically attack people at drag story time based on the deeply dangerous trope that the rainbow community presents a danger to children. These attacks on Benjamin come from the same playbook.

“We are calling on the Prime Minister to shut down this behaviour and draw a clear line that this is not acceptable within his government.”

Swarbrick also said she had attempted to contact the Prime Minister directly multiple times to raise concerns about the threats.

“I texted the Prime Minister on Saturday morning about the death threats. He didn’t respond, but passed it to his chief of staff. I again reached out this morning.”

She defended Doyle’s use of language on social media, saying, “What we’re talking about is a private account that existed before they were a Member of Parliament. Members of the queer community often use language that might appear outrageous or irreverent to outsiders, but which has different meaning within the community.

“I think you’re trying to put this in quite an oversimplified frame” she told media. Context is critical.

“We really didn’t want this to get into the public sphere. But the reality is it is now resulting in real-world danger towards a Member of Parliament, their child, and the broader rainbow community.”

She accused Peters of feeding into conspiratorial narratives similar to those used by groups such as Destiny’s Church.

“A month ago Destiny Church members stormed a library during drag story time based on the same dangerous tropes that the rainbow community poses a threat to children. These attacks on Benjamin come from the same playbook.”

Swarbrick admitted she followed the social media account in question but refused to describe the material, saying, “I’m not interested in oversimplified definitions. Context matters, and members of minority communities often reclaim language in unexpected ways.”