Peters decries 'snivelling wokesters' as new Cook Strait ferries named

<p>The new Cook Strait ferries will be named Kupe and Cook, and Minister for Rail Winston Peters says "snivelling wokesters" will "work themselves into a lather" over the latter.</p> <p>Peters announced the names in a speech at Parliament today, alongside confirmation KiwiRail will operate the two vessels for 30 years from their arrival in 2029.</p> <p>He said it was "fashionable now in certain circles" to treat Captain Cook as "nothing more than a symbol to be condemned, cancelled, and cast out".</p> <p>"Well, we say this: a mature country does not run from its history," Peters said. </p> <p>"We will not allow a noisy minority to dictate what the rest of this country is allowed to remember.</p> <p>"These are proper names. Historic names. New Zealand names.