New Zealand’s role in the World Health Organisation w/ the University of Otago’s Professor Nick Wilson: 29th January, 2026

This past week, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters posted on X, formerly Twitter, about the United States’ departure from the World Health Organisation. Peters criticised the WHO, calling them a “bunch of unelected globalist bureaucrats” who “are not accountable or responsible with worldwide taxpayers money”. 

Peters then questioned whether New Zealand taxpayer money is being well spent on our WHO membership.

News Director Castor spoke to the University of Otago’s Professor Nick Wilson about what the WHO does and why New Zealand’s membership is important. Wilson has previously done contract work for the WHO around polio eradication. They began by asking about what the WHO is and what it spends money on.