Winston Peters is not one to shy away from an insult – but the NZ First leader swears he did not swear.

In an interview about new North Shore candidate Andrew Williams this week, Mr Peters was asked: "So is he going to be your spokesman for any particular issue?"

His response was reported as: "God, you dick."

Yesterday he said it was unthinkable that he would use the language described. "I would never call a woman a dick."

After requesting a copy of the tape, Mr Peters assembled his own team to pass judgment and said their view was unanimous – that the actual phrase he used was "crikey dick". It was clear to anyone listening that the second vowel was not a "u" sound, he said. "Dissect that second vowel. That's the key to this argument."

If there was any dispute, he would hire an expert at his own expense to prove the words were "crikey dick".

Fairfax journalists played the tape to four witnesses yesterday, who all heard "you dick". When told of the dispute, they conceded it could be heard as "crikey dick".