New Zealand First leader Winston Peters is expected to announce a new party candidate and an energy policy in his State of the Nation speech today. The speech will be livestreamed from the top of this article from about 2pm. Peters is hosting the event at the Atrium Conference Centre, also a site of the C3 City Church, in the Tauranga suburb of Otūmoetai. The Herald understands Peters will announce a candidate who will run for NZ First at this year’s election. He was also expected to reveal an election policy focused on energy. Energy and fuel security will likely be a strong focus of Peters’ speech, in light of the global turmoil prompted by the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, which has constrained oil supply and hiked fuel prices. Over the weekend, the Herald reported some areas in Auckland seeing petrol prices reaching $4 per litre. Peters, also the Foreign Minister, will likely give his assessment of the conflict’s impact on New Zealand. He has often stressed how New Zealand had little influence over developments and encouraged resolution. Members of Brian Tamaki's Destiny Church stand outside protesting Shane Jones' fishing reform ahead of NZ First's State of the Nation. Photo / Adam Pearse Expect the party’s long-held opposition to the closure of the Marsden Pt oil refinery to be mentioned amid debate over New Zealand’s fuel security. The venue’s main room had capacity for 600 people, with space for about 200 in two overflow rooms. Significant protest action is also expected. The party has been informed by local police to anticipate protests from the Palestine Solidarity Network and Brian Tamaki’s Destiny Church, including Tamaki himself. Destiny Church members gathered outside the venue were protesting Fisheries Minister Shane Jones’ recreational fishing reform, claiming he was friendly to commercial fishing outfits. Private security, as well as members of the Diplomatic Protection Service who provide security for politicians, were being briefed this morning ahead of the event. Peters’ party events have often been subject to protests. At the party’s conference in 2024, Peters had to be whisked away from the crowd after a speech due to persistent protesters challenging the Government’s stance on the Gaza conflict. Other topics likely to be canvassed in Peters’ speech could include the recent GDP (gross domestic product) data showing a 0.2% growth in the economy in the three months to December and his views on the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Covid-19 report. Adam Pearse is the Deputy Political Editor and part of the NZ Herald’s Press Gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington. He has worked for NZME since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei and the Herald in Auckland.