The party leader was taking questions from the crowd after giving a speech when a man with an American accent rose to ask for proof that Covid-19 exists.

"Where's your evidence that there is a virus that causes the disease?" the man asked, referencing a scientific method which he believed had not yet been satisfied for Covid-19.

Peters - who had already been short with the man for attempting to ask three questions rather than one - didn't hold back in his answer.

“Sit down, sit down," he said. "We’ve got someone who obviously got an education in America - 220,000 people have died in the US, where there are eight million cases to date. We’ve got 79,000 cases just today, probably in India, and here is someone who gets up and says ‘the Earth is flat’.

“Sorry sunshine, wrong place,” Peters said to applause.

The man then tried to reply but Peters moved on to the next question, telling him: "Quiet, we have manners at our meetings as well."