The Latest from Vote2017 https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/ NZME 2024-03-29T05:54:41.298Z en Six reasons Winston Peters chose Labour https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/six-reasons-winston-peters-chose-labour/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/six-reasons-winston-peters-chose-labour/ In his explanation of why New Zealand First went with Labour over National, Winston Peters said the agreement reached in talks was a summation of policies that survived negotiations. He went on: "As the song says, You can't always get what you want." "Our negotiations have taken place against a backdrop of changing international and internal economic circumstances which we cannot ignore." Those in New Zealand First believed that an economic correction, or a slowdown, was looming, and that the first signs were already apparent, he said. The signs were: • In the housing market slowdown • In Reserve Bank and trading banks nervousness • In the cessation of hot money into our economy • In property ownership concerns • In receding consumer optimism • In ebbing retailer confidence. "There were great risks in whatever decision we made and despite our having had no influence on these risks, some will attempt to heap the blame on us. "That those blame caricatures are both spurious and misplaced wont stop attempts to mis-describe the cause of events. "Thats why we are putting this scenario out front, right now, so that such attempts will fail. "Awareness of looming consensus has affected our decision. "Our choice today relates to how best we mitigate, not worsen, their impact on as many New Zealanders as possible. "As a party, New Zealand First believes it has secured major policies to advance New Zealand economically and socially. "Big or small, all of these policies are important. "When we construct the formal agreement summating those matters we have negotiated, these policies will be published. "It is not my privilege or responsibility to summarise them today," Peters said. Far too many New Zealanders have come to view todays capitalism not as their friend, but as their foe. And they are not all wrong. That is why we believe that capitalism must regain its responsible, its human, face. That perception has influenced our negotiations. Weve had to make a choice, whether it was with either National or Labour, for a modified status quo, or for change. In our negotiations, both National and Labour were presented with that opportunity. "Working together, co-operating together, for New Zealand." "We choose a coalition government of New Zealand First with Labour." 2017-10-19T16:35:18.000Z Policy under the new Government: What we know so far https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/policy-under-the-new-government-what-we-know-so-far/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/policy-under-the-new-government-what-we-know-so-far/ Labour leader Jacinda Ardern expects agreements with NZ First and the Green Party to be signed off and released early next week. While the three leaders said they couldn't go into detail about policy agreements until then, some details were confirmed in media conferences. Those are: • Immigration: Ardern said she will stick with Labour's policy, which the party estimates will reduce net immigration by 20,000 to 30,000 a year.• Housing: Ardern committed to implement Labour's KiwiBuild policy, which would build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 years, with half in Auckland.• Foreign ownership: Labour and NZ First have agreed to restrict sales of residential land and farmland to NZ citizens, permanent residents who live in NZ, and companies that are majority NZ-owned. A register of foreign ownership of land will be set up.• Water tax: Indications are Labour's proposed water royalty on agriculture won't be introduced. While Ardern and Peters wouldn't give a direct answer, Peters said farmers and people in the rural sector "should be happy".• Pike River: Peters said his commitment to clear the way for a re-entry of the mine will be kept.• The Trans-Pacific Partnership: Parties agree to push to renegotiate so the trade deal allows for the Government to ban foreigners from buying New Zealand land.• Maori seats: Will remain, despite NZ First's policy to hold a binding referendum on whether to abolish them. Peters said his party had not been delivered enough support to demand such a measure.• Reserve Bank: Peters indicated he didn't get his wish to implement a drastically different model based on the Singaporean model, but there will likely be changes to the Reserve Bank Act to greater weight to full employment when it sets interest rates.• Moving the Ports of Auckland: Ardern indicated Labour is open to the NZ First policy of moving container operations to Northport, near Whangarei.• Education: Was not raised in press conferences, but major changes are very likely. All three parties want charter or partnership schools abolished, and National Standards scrapped.• Kermadec sanctuary: Progress on the stalled 620,000 sq km ocean sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands has been considered as part of the Greens' deal with Labour. Greens leader James Shaw would not comment on the detail. 2017-10-19T09:16:48.000Z What business wants to know from Peters and Ardern https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/what-business-wants-to-know-from-peters-and-ardern/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/what-business-wants-to-know-from-peters-and-ardern/ The new Government needs to quickly reveal policy detail on immigration, trade, industrial relations and foreign ownership, says BusinessNZ. Winston Peters, in announcing NZ First's intention to enter into a coalition with Labour and Jacinda Ardern, said he was concerned about the growing gap between rich and poor and the concentration of wealth in fewer and fewer hands. "We believe that capitalism must regain its responsible, its human face," Peters said.While much detail is yet to be revealed, Peters said there will be changes to foreign ownership rules under the coalition, in line with the campaign promises of both Labour and NZ First. On the topic of housing, Peters expects there to be fewer immigrants and 10,000 more affordable homes built per year under an NZ First-Labour coalition.   NZ First's policy, according to its website, is to reduce the number of migrants coming to this country to about 10,000 people each year. Close to 72,000 people moved to New Zealand in the last year and Ardern said tonight that she expects immigration numbers to be cut by 20,000 to 30,000 per annum. Peters said they had agreed to look at the investor disputes resolution clause in the TPP, as well as issues on the ownership of land and property in the agreement. The NZ First leader was also expecting changes to the Reserve Bank Act. Reacting shortly after the announcement, BusinessNZ chief executive Kirk Hope said he wanted to see certainty "relatively rapidly" in areas of trade, immigration and industrial relations. Labour campaigned on introducing Fair Pay Agreements, FPAs, it said would set "fair, basic employment conditions" including allowances, weekend/night rates and leave entitlements that are agreed to by businesses and workers' unions. These would be applied across whole industries as opposed to individual workplaces. Asked whether he was concerned about changes to foreign ownership laws, Hope said: "The challenge for New Zealand is we've always been an importer of capital ... we need to be mindful about that and we need to be mindful that if we shut access to that capital down the impact that would have on local communities." Hope said that New Zealand will be "in trouble" if the country severely cut immigration numbers without having education policies aligned to make sure businesses have the skills they need. "That will stymie economic growth." 2017-10-19T08:31:32.000Z Watch: The moment Winston Peters announced New Zealand's new Government https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/watch-the-moment-winston-peters-announced-new-zealands-new-government/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/watch-the-moment-winston-peters-announced-new-zealands-new-government/ It's Labour ... and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.New Zealand First has crowned Ardern the next prime minister with its decision to back a Labour-led government, which will also need the Green Party to govern.Ardern will claim the top job after only two and a-half months as Labour leader - and follows her former mentor Helen Clark into the top job. The decision will come as a shock to National, which holds two more seats than the Labour-Green bloc and ends its hope of leading New Zealand for a fourth term. WATCH THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT ABOVE 2017-10-19T07:01:06.000Z The incredible rise of Jacinda Ardern https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/the-incredible-rise-of-jacinda-ardern/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/the-incredible-rise-of-jacinda-ardern/ Labour leader Jacinda Ardern's stardust has turned into star power as she heads to the Prime Minister's office at the age of 37 - and just two and a half months after becoming leader of her party. Ardern defied all the usual rules of politics to get there - she took over the leadership just seven weeks before an election in a desperate bid by Labour to restore its fortunes and it was relying on a support partner which was also in chaos in the Green Party. Even Ardern once commented she had a "hospital pass".She is New Zealand's third female Prime Minister - after National's Jenny Shipley and Ardern's own mentor, Helen Clark. It is also the first time the party without the highest share of the vote has formed the Government.   Ardern's barnstorming campaign saw her pick up 352,000 more votes for Labour than the party had in 2014, going from 25 per cent in 2014 to 37 per cent this time round - and though she said she had hoped to do better, with the Green Party it was enough to nudge at National's heels.Ardern was something of a reluctant leader. She had previously said she never wanted the job, having seen first-hand the demands the leadership put on the lives of those who had held it both as a staffer for former Prime Minister Helen Clark, and in her own time as an MP.She had encouraged Andrew Little to stay on in the role of leader after he went to her to say he did not believe he could deliver a good result for Labour. It took a week for her colleagues to persuade her to agree to take the leadership should Little stand down.Although those close to her could see her star quality, she kept her light under a bushel for her first two terms as MP. She was first put on Labour's front bench by former Labour leader David Shearer in 2011 as social development spokesperson.In 2014, she stood on a "ticket" as potential deputy leader for Grant Robertson in his unsuccessful bid for the vacant leadership role following Labour's disastrous 2014 result under then leader David Cunliffe. Little won that contest.Ardern was beaten by National's Nikki Kaye in the Auckland Central electorate twice but when Shearer left early this year she stood in the byelection in Mt Albert. The seat has a long tradition of being home to Labour leaders - it was Helen Clark's electorate as well as Shearer's, although Shearer never contested an election as leader.Like former Prime Minister John Key, Ardern's relaxed style made her a master of "soft" media such as women's magazines and breakfast television and radio.By now Ardern was starting to appear in polls for preferred Prime Minister and soon after the byelection Ardern replaced Labour's veteran Annette King as deputy leader to Little.Little had hoped Ardern's popularity would push up Labour's vote - but that did not happen. After Little stepped down following a string of dire polls, Ardern stepped up.She stamped her mark on the leadership early, saying she offered a "relentlessly positive" campaign and would refocus Labour's policy in the environment and education in particular. Labour's policy to offer three years of free post-school education was one of its cornerstone policies and Ardern brought forward the planned introduction of that as well as a promise to increase the student allowance and student loan limits.Her first policy announcement was a light rail link from the airport to the CBD in Auckland, to be paid for out of a regional fuel levy on Aucklanders. Her second was a levy on commercial users of waters - from bottlers to farmers - to fund regional councils' efforts to clean up waterways.She declared climate change "the nuclear free movement of my generation" and set a target of having net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Ardern's momentum stalled when National's counter attacks over Labour's tax policies started to bite.However she succeeded in clawing back Labour supporters from smaller parties such as the Greens and NZ First, which were both hit hard by the campaign. She also targeted young voters and non-voters relentlessly - visiting tertiary institutions all over the country and encouraging them to enrol and vote.Ardern's upbringing in Morrinsville was one of the constant refrains of her campaign - but it was in Morrinsville that a protest against her proposals was held, including the water levy and the decision to bring agriculture into the Emissions Trading Scheme almost immediately.Ardern entered Parliament in 2008, aged 28, and was then the youngest MP in Parliament. She had just returned from London, where she had spent time working for British Prime Minister Tony Blair.Prior to that, a young Ardern had also worked as an adviser for the Labour Government in the offices of Phil Goff and Helen Clark.She has said her involvement with the Labour Party began when she worked as a teenager on the campaign of former Labour MP Harry Duynhoven in 1999.She joined Labour aged 17. She grew up in a Mormon household but left the faith in her 20s, mostly because of its anti-homosexual stance. 2017-10-19T06:46:12.000Z Bill English takes hard road back to Opposition https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/bill-english-takes-hard-road-back-to-opposition/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/bill-english-takes-hard-road-back-to-opposition/ Three weeks after he led National to a strong election result Bill English will take his party on the hard road back to Opposition after NZ First and its leader Winston Peters cast their decision in favour of a Labour-led government. That decision will have caused heartbreak for English after a 27-year career in Parliament and is the first time the party with the highest share of the vote has not formed the government. On election night, English stood on the stage at the National Party event with his arms aloft, celebrating the result he had secured for the party. It was a stark contrast from the night of the 2002 election when English broke down in tears after taking the National Party to 21 per cent. (function(d, s, id) {var js,ijs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(d.getElementById(id))return;js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//embed.scribblelive.com/widgets/embed.js";ijs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, ijs);}(document, 'script', 'scrbbl-js')); On September 23, English had also claimed the result gave him a "moral authority" to have first go at forming a government - although Peters later rejected that claim.That result of 46 per cent (58 seats) later shrank to 44 per cent (56 seats) but National was still ahead of Labour and the Greens' combined tally - albeit by just two seats.The result followed a gruelling campaign as English, 55, tried to counter what he described as the "stardust" of Labour leader Jacinda Ardern by pushing his own record of strength and stability and hammering at the uncertainty around Labour's tax policy.English first entered Parliament in 1990 at the age of 28 as National MP for the then-Wallace electorate after first working on his family farm in Dipton and then in Treasury after moving to Wellington to be with his wife Mary.He was one of the so-called 'brat pack' of four - English, Nick Smith, Tony Ryall and Roger Sowry. All still spend a summer holiday together.English was first appointed a minister in early 1996 by then Prime Minister Jim Bolger as Minister for Crown Health Enterprises and Associate Minister of Education. After the election later that year, he was appointed Minister of Health with NZ First MP Neil Kirton as his associate - a relationship which did not work out.He remained in that role after Jenny Shipley rolled Bolger, despite English's backing for Bolger. In 1999 he was promoted to the Finance portfolio, working alongside Bill Birch as Treasurer.Helen Clark's Labour won the 1999 election and in 2001 English was elected party leader unopposed at the age of 39 - a bit older than Ardern is. He led National to a drubbing in 2002 of just 25 per cent. Some of the responsibility for that was put down to the National Party organisation and English was given some time to try to rally the polling. By October 2003 that had not happened and newcomer Don Brash beat him in a leadership contest.English was kept on the front bench and given the education portfolio, in which he managed to get successive hits on the Labour government. After the 2005 election, Brash was replaced by John Key and Gerry Brownlee stepped aside as deputy to allow English to take the post.Although there was initial controversy over English claiming ministerial accommodation allowances for his Wellington home, English rebuilt his reputation as Finance Minister and deputy to Key in the National Governments from 2008 to 2017. In 2014 he stepped away from the Clutha-Southland electorate he had held since 1990 and became a List MP - a step that signalled he would leave Parliament should National return to Opposition.Instead Key left early and handed English his job, telling National's caucus English had the greatest chance of returning National for a fourth term.Had Ardern been in the top job for Labour when Key left, English might never have taken it on such was the ghost of his 2002 drubbing.However, National was still polling strongly and Labour under Andrew Little was flailing in the 20s in the polls.Despite his long history in politics, English still managed to surprise after taking over as leader, trying to show he was not just the boring numbers man he had typecast himself as.In his first press conference after National elected him leader English did an about-turn on gay marriage - saying in hindsight he should have supported it.He quoted poetry by Selina Tusitala Marsh on leadership, saying "lead and dig up the diamonds around you".And he made some policy changes - including going against Key's pledge not to raise the retirement age by releasing policy to increase the superannuation age to 67, phased in from 2037.The election result would also have given English a mandate to take National in his own direction.English had promised change during the campaign, saying there was more money available and signalling changes in areas such as the environment and poverty - even pledging to cut child poverty by 100,000.Housing affordability would also have to be a focus and health was rapidly becoming an area that needed attention.While Key had lent National his brand of pragmatism and "compassionate conservatism" from 1999 to 2008, much of that was work engineered by English especially in the "social investment" model.English's relationship with Winston Peters had not always been easy - English himself described it as "challenging at times". In 1993 English had seconded the motion to expel Peters from National's caucus in 1993. During the campaign, English also urged voters not to give Peters the power to make the decision that has now reinstated him as Prime Minister, saying New Zealanders should "cut out the middle man"."I got up," English said in the Newshub debate about his comeback after 2002 to be Prime Minister late last year.Whether Peters turned his thumb in English's direction or not, English could leave with his pride intact. 2017-10-19T06:23:03.000Z Labour - NZ First government to lead New Zealand (1) https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/labour-nz-first-government-to-lead-new-zealand-1/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/labour-nz-first-government-to-lead-new-zealand-1/ Labour leader Jacinda Ardern will be Prime Minister in a remarkable chapter in New Zealand's political history - but the price of that will be wrestling a government that includes NZ First and the Greens. Ardern's Labour Party was chosen by NZ First leader Winston Peters over National after almost two weeks of negotiations. READ MORE: Peters adds another intriguing chapter to remarkable career It will give NZ First four ministerial posts in Cabinet and an under-secretary post. Peters has been offered Deputy Prime Minister, but is yet to decide whether to take it. The Greens will not be part of the formal coalition, but will provide confidence and supply and get three ministerial posts outside Cabinet. READ MORE: English takes hard road back to Opposition (function(d, s, id) {var js,ijs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(d.getElementById(id))return;js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//embed.scribblelive.com/widgets/embed.js";ijs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, ijs);}(document, 'script', 'scrbbl-js')); Ardern said she was "overwhelmingly humbled" to learn she would be Prime Minister. Congratulations were quick to flow from overseas - including a phone call from Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, a close friend to former PM John Key. Turnbull tweeted: "Congratulations @jacindaardern good to talk with you tonight, Look fwd to seeing you soon & building on out two nations' great partnership." Congratulations @jacindaardern good to talk with you tonight. Look fwd to seeing you soon & building on our two nations' great partnership. — Malcolm Turnbull (@TurnbullMalcolm) October 19, 2017 Peters' choice deprived National of the fourth term it had been so close to getting and delivering Labour the government benches after nine years in Opposition.It was a remarkable turnaround - Ardern had taken over as leader less than two months before the election when its polling was in the low 20s - something Peters acknowledged as showing her mettle and readiness to be Prime Minister.Ardern said the negotiations had been "robust" but she believed NZ First and the Greens would be "true allies" in achieving what Labour's own goals were."Labour has always believed that governments should be a partner in ensuring an economy that works and delivers for all New Zealanders. We also believe in a government that looks after its environment and ultimately looks after its people. I believe Labour has found true allies in Parliament to deliver on that."The change in government will mean significant changes in some areas - Labour campaigned on housing, poverty, reducing immigration and on the environment.Ardern also acknowledged English. "I have always believed members of Parliament come to this place in order to do good and serve their country as best they can. Mr English is an absolute example of that and I want to acknowledge it." Peters had not told either Ardern or English ahead of his public announcement although it is likely news had slipped back to her. The full detail of the deals is still being negotiated - Ardern said that would happen by early next week and ministerial portfolios announced and ministers sworn in by the end of the week. She would not say what Labour had to concede of its own policies to secure the support of NZ First and the Greens - including issues such as the water tax. She said the detailed work on the policy promises was still under way and it was not yet known whether it breached any of Labour's fiscal responsibility commitments - but it had been high in their minds during negotiations. "I feel extraordinarily honoured and privileged to be in a position to form a Government with Labour at the lead," Ardern said. She opened her first press conference as prime minister-elect by acknowledging her predecessor in the role, National leader Bill English. "I want to thank Bill English for the role he has played in this campaign but also as prime minister and as serving in the past as NZ's finance minister," she said. "Mr English has already called me this evening and acknowledged that negotiations for the National Party have now concluded." Peters said the decision had not been easy and in some ways it had been "sad" to reject National. However, he said NZ First's priorities were economic reform, issues such as foreign land buyers, immigration and regional development. "Far too many New Zealanders have come to view today's capitalism, not as their friend, but as their foe. And they are not all wrong. That is why we believe that capitalism must regain its human face. That perception has influenced our negotiations. "We've had to make a choice, whether it was with either National or Labour, for a modified status quo, or for change." That decision brought disappointment for National leader Bill English who said Ardern's progress to Prime Minister was remarkable "given just 10 weeks ago she was deputy leader of a fading Opposition". English was flanked by wife Mary and senior ministers who now face the move out of the Beehive and back to a normal MPs salary. Asked if he intended to step down rather than go back into Opposition, English said those matters would be decided in the coming weeks. "From here, the National Party will regroup. We will have a caucus meeting next week to discuss the outcome we have had here tonight." He said National's success had ensured it would be "the strongest Opposition party the Parliament has seen". He said the negotiations with Peters were "satisfactory" and he believed it could have formed a strong Government. "But all I will say about that is the circumstances meant he had more influence on forming a government than we did." Asked if he felt robbed given National had secured the highest vote, English said it was MMP and the result was "a legitimate and fair result of the election campaign. We certainly accept it and I'm sure New Zealanders will". However, he said it was likely many of National's supporters would have believed National should form the government. "It's an unusual result for MMP - there's probably not been a party anywhere in the world that got 44 per cent of the vote and didn't win the election. But we all know the rules, we campaign according to those results." He was proud of what the National Government had achieved in its nine years in power, the team he had left - and the shape he had left the country and the economy in. He also acknowledged New Zealanders, "who we've met and worked with in their businesses and their schools and their homes and in their own communities - the people whose aspiration and quiet heroism has been for all of us a source of energy and direction for change for the better in New Zealand." 2017-10-19T06:12:15.000Z Live: 'Seriously difficult' - Winston Peters still hasn't decided who to go with https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/live-seriously-difficult-winston-peters-still-hasnt-decided-who-to-go-with/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/live-seriously-difficult-winston-peters-still-hasnt-decided-who-to-go-with/ It's Labour and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern! New Zealand First has crowned Ardern the next Prime Minister with its decision to back a Labour-led Government, which also needs the Green Party to govern. Ardern will claim the top job after only two and a-half months as Labour leader. The decision will come as a shock to National, which holds two more seats than the Labour-Green bloc and ends its hope of leading New Zealand for a fourth term. (function(d, s, id) {var js,ijs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(d.getElementById(id))return;js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//embed.scribblelive.com/widgets/embed.js";ijs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, ijs);}(document, 'script', 'scrbbl-js')); UPDATE 5.45pm:  The decision has just been announced at Parliament by New Zealand First leader Winston Peters. He said NZ First made the call just 15 minutes before the announcement. Ardern will be New Zealand's third woman Prime Minister, after Jenny Shipley and Helen Clark. She will also be its second youngest ever Prime Minister, after Edward Stafford who was also aged 37 when he took office 161 years ago. After the September 23 election, Labour's 36.9 per cent and the Greens' 6.3 per cent gave them 54 seats between them, not enough for a majority without New Zealand First. The three parties have 63 seats. National polled 44.4 per cent and holds 56 seats, not enough for an outright majority. The New Zealand First decision follows a week of parallel policy negotiations between New Zealand First and National and Labour. The party caucus and board started meeting on Monday morning to deliberate. One of Winston Peters's out onc form that. 2017-10-19T01:45:29.000Z Flashback: Watch Winston's 1996 coalition speech https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/flashback-watch-winstons-1996-coalition-speech/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/flashback-watch-winstons-1996-coalition-speech/ WATCH BELOW: Winston Peters announces the 1996 coalition government.  Source: One News / TVNZ   WATCH BELOW: Winston Peters signs the 1996 coalition government agreement. Source: One News / TVNZ The New Zealand First leader is expected to announce this afternoon, which of the main parties will lead the next government. READ MORE: Peters: We aren't holding NZ to ransom 2017-10-18T20:51:10.000Z Crunch o'clock for Ardern and English as Winston's call looms https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/crunch-oclock-for-ardern-and-english-as-winstons-call-looms/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/crunch-oclock-for-ardern-and-english-as-winstons-call-looms/ Labour leader Jacinda Ardern and National leader Bill English have just a few hours left to sway New Zealand First leader Winston Peters this morning before he makes an announcement on which of them he will make Prime Minister. Yesterday Peters announced he would be in a position this afternoon to make an announcement on the results of his kingmakers talks. In an exclusive interview with Newstalk ZB political editor Barry Soper last night, Peters said NZ First had still not made a decision on which side to go with, even though the date for the announcement is set. The party's caucus would meet this morning to again work through the offerings from the two parties and talk to the board of NZ First. "And we'll be coming to a decision and making an announcement." Peters told Newstalk ZB he had not yet decided whether he would advise both English and Ardern of his decision before a public announcement. It is understood the policy offers from the two parties are so finely balanced that the final decision could hinge on what English and Ardern have offered up since further talks with Peters over the past 24 hours - such as ministerial positions. Those matters were dealt with by the leaders rather than negotiating teams. In a statement, Peters said he spoke to both Ardern and English yesterday about the timing of an announcement "amongst other matters". Those "other matters" are understood to include ministerial positions. NZ First's list is likely to include Foreign Affairs and Economic Development - as well as what place NZ First would get in a Government. The Herald understands NZ First's preference is for a full coalition agreement with ministerial positions inside Cabinet. As crunch time looms, English has also summoned National's MPs for a caucus meeting this morning to update them on the talks, but stressed he had no indication of what the NZ First decision would be. National's board would also have a teleconference after that. Both caucus and the board will have to sign off on any agreement. The decision could also rest on who Peters is more comfortable working with - his reservations about English stem from a difficult history but there is also concern about whether Ardern has the experience to wrangle a three-party governing arrangement as Prime Minister. Other NZ First caucus members had little to say as they left yesterday - deputy leader Ron Mark said "the boss" would make any statement and Shane Jones also referred everything to "the rangatira". The Green Party is also yet to hold its special general meeting of 150 delegates to sign off on its agreement with Labour. A time slot has been booked every evening over the past week but the Greens were waiting to be told when to go by Labour - and the meeting would likely not happen until NZ First had committed to a Labour-led Government. National and Labour will also have to have any agreement signed off by their boards and caucus - but that process can be quick. Peters' decision has taken longer than he initially anticipated when he said he expected a decision by October 12. The potential for a significant change in the results from the special votes meant he waited until those were in before starting negotiations in earnest - which gave only five days for those talks. Peters defended going over that deadline, saying it was important to conduct the process properly and give both parties a fair go. Peters also took exception to claims it was ridiculous that a party on 7 per cent was in the position of deciding the next Government. "Seven per cent, or 10 per cent or 20 per cent or for that matter 45 per cent doesn't make the next Government. A majority of the votes in Parliament make that decision, and that's what the outcome will be. This is a majority decision of Parliament in the end, not a minority decision." 2017-10-18T16:38:18.000Z Greens need approval from all 170 members if Peters chooses Labour https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/greens-need-approval-from-all-170-members-if-peters-chooses-labour/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/greens-need-approval-from-all-170-members-if-peters-chooses-labour/ The Green Party says it won't hold up the process should New Zealand First choose a Labour-led Government today, despite having to get the approval of its 170 members to enter into any coalition. Winston Peters will announce a Government this afternoon, after near-two weeks of hard negotiations and deliberations. He hasn't yet put an exact a time or place for the announcement, or indicated which way he'll go. But if he chooses Labour, a spokesman for the Greens said they'll have their full membership on conference call for a special general meeting, by evening. He said they're quite used to consulting the membership in this way, and have had them on standby, with evening's cleared, for several days now. There isn't expected to be any hold up in getting such a deal signed off. 2017-10-18T16:20:04.000Z Left could secure NZ First's future: ex-MP https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/left-could-secure-nz-firsts-future-ex-mp/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/left-could-secure-nz-firsts-future-ex-mp/ For the sake of NZ First's future as a party former MP Richard Prosser said they should go left. Mr Prosser was bumped down the party's list ahead of the election and lost his place in parliament as a result. He was back in the building on Wednesday morning to finalise his departure but despite still being a member of the party was banned from the floor where the party's caucus is meeting to reach their decision. "I still think they'll go left if they possibly can," he said. "The danger of going right and propping up a fourth term National government, the odds of them getting a fifth term are pretty slim and if you're associated too closely with that when they go down you go down with them as a small party." But he said the Green Party was a possible sticking point because of the "gulf of differences" between the two parties. Mr Prosser expects if leader Winston Peters gets what he wants in these negotiations this could be his final term in parliament, provided there's a strong succession plan. "No-one lives forever in life or politics and one day Winston will go and when he does someone will replace him," he said. There's some weight to the idea that Mr Peters would favour new MP Shane Jones as his successor but deputy Ron Mark has the majority support of membership while third ranked MP Tracey Martin is also a strong contender, he said. 2017-10-17T22:36:55.000Z Winston's two offers: Why it could get personal https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/winstons-two-offers-why-it-could-get-personal/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/winstons-two-offers-why-it-could-get-personal/ NZ First leader Winston Peters and his MPs are meeting at Parliament this morning - with a decision on the next government expected to be reached today. That does not necessarily mean an announcement, because of sign-off procedures needed by other parties. Peters entered Bowen House by taxi and did not speak to media. Today's meeting follows secret one-on-one meetings with National leader Bill English and Labour leader Jacinda Ardern last night, for which Peters drove 100m to an underground Beehive car park to avoid being seen. (function(d, s, id) {var js,ijs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(d.getElementById(id))return;js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//embed.scribblelive.com/widgets/embed.js";ijs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, ijs);}(document, 'script', 'scrbbl-js')); Peters talked to English and Ardern about his party's preferred government arrangement, which the Herald understands favours ministerial posts rather than sitting on the cross benches. Both leaders respectively were on their own with Peters without staff or any of their negotiating teams - the first one-on-one meetings between them. Peters arrived this morning shortly after his deputy leader Ron Mark, wearing his favourite Stetson hat, drove in. Asked if there would be an announcement today, Mark said, "we'll see". NZ First MP Fletcher Tabuteau also said they were "getting close" as he arrived in Parliament, and new MP Mark Patterson said the party was getting to the "business end" and he expected a decision to be announced soon. Last night's meetings came soon after a two-day meeting of the NZ First board and caucus. Afterwards, Peters told media the board was "98 per cent there" on the policy packages that the two parties presented to NZ First, but leader to leader talks were needed to resolve other issues. He did not specify what those issues were but they are expected to include the shape a government might take, any ministerial portfolios and any concerns Peters might have about working with English and Ardern as Prime Minister. Peters said all the various shapes a governing arrangement could take were still on the table. He said he would try and resolve the talks as fast as possible. It was still his goal to reach a decision by the end of the week, but that would partly depend on the other parties as well. Peters said there was "serious consensus" over the policies put to both sides. "This is a case of policies that survived and those are the ones that will be going into an agreement." He said once those final details were hammered out, a further board meeting could be held by teleconference rather than in person. 2017-10-17T16:42:45.000Z Winston Peters emerges from talks: There's still work to be done https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/winston-peters-emerges-from-talks-theres-still-work-to-be-done/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/winston-peters-emerges-from-talks-theres-still-work-to-be-done/ Winston Peters says there is still work to be done with both parties before NZ First can make a decision. The New Zealand First leader said they had got a lot of work done and the board's engagement was complete and it was going home. Peters said further discussions were needed with the leaders of both National and Labour. The board had not reached a consensus on a final decision, but there was consensus on "the policies put to both sides and how far we've got". He said once firmer agreements were ironed out NZ First would have to go back to the board and caucus for a sign-off. That could be done by teleconference. He would not say how long that would take or give details on what else had to be covered off. "It's the form of things to come in the future." He said on policy matters "we are 98 per cent of the way there." He said there were two sets of policy proposals from each party but would not say which appealed most. 2017-10-17T04:24:45.000Z "This is an exciting day" Labour and NZ First government announced https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/this-is-an-exciting-day-labour-and-nz-first-government-announced/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/this-is-an-exciting-day-labour-and-nz-first-government-announced/   It's Labour ... and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. New Zealand First has crowned Ardern the next prime minister with its decision to back a Labour-led government, which will also need the Green Party to govern. Ardern will claim the top job after only two and a-half months as Labour leader - and follows her former mentor Helen Clark into the top job. The decision will come as a shock to National, which holds two more seats than the Labour-Green bloc and ends its hope of leading New Zealand for a fourth term. The decision has just been announced at Parliament by New Zealand First leader Winston Peters. Prime Minister-in-waiting Ardern will address the media at 8pm. She is expected to delve into the policy agreements and ministerial positions that have been agreed with NZ First. Ardern will be New Zealand's third woman Prime Minister, after Jenny Shipley and Helen Clark.She will also be its second youngest ever Prime Minister, after Edward Stafford who was also aged 37 when he took office 161 years ago. At his press conference tonight Peters said there was an economic slowdown looming. NZ First's choice came down to how best to mitigate the impact of that shock. He said the biggest issue in negotiations has been poverty and the concentration of wealth in the hands of the few. Peters dismissed claims that Ardern was not experienced enough to be prime minister. He said Ardern showed extraordinary talent in the campaign "from a very hopeless position to the position they are in the government today". NZ First came to its decision a mere 15 minutes before leaving for the Beehive, he said, and he did not call Ardern to give her the news ahead of time. "This decision is owed first to the New Zealand people." Peters was coy about what portfolios he had been offered, saying that was up to Ardern to announce - but he did not have the Minister of Finance job. He was, however, expecting changes to the Reserve Bank Act. All NZ First's ministerial positions would be inside Cabinet, Peters said. He also said the Greens had a confidence and supply agreement with Labour, as opposed to NZ First's coalition agreement. The Greens were set to meet from 7pm to get consensus among their delegates on forming a Government with NZ First and Labour. The meeting is expected to take at least three hours and 75 per cent of delegates must agree. After the September 23 election, Labour's 36.9 per cent and the Greens' 6.3 per cent gave them 54 seats between them, not enough for a majority without New Zealand First.The three parties have 63 seats.National polled 44.4 per cent and holds 56 seats, not enough for an outright majority. The New Zealand First decision follows a week of parallel policy negotiations between New Zealand First and National and Labour.The party caucus and board started meeting on Monday morning to deliberate.     (function(d, s, id) {var js,ijs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(d.getElementById(id))return;js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//embed.scribblelive.com/widgets/embed.js";ijs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, ijs);}(document, 'script', 'scrbbl-js'));       READ MORE: Peters adds another intriguing chapter to remarkable career   READ MORE: English takes hard road back to Opposition     2017-10-19T06:03:09.000Z Live: Labour's not a 'lapdog': Jacinda Ardern https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/live-labours-not-a-lapdog-jacinda-ardern/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/live-labours-not-a-lapdog-jacinda-ardern/ Whatever government NZ First forms is doomed to fail, former United Future leader Peter Dunne says. Parallel negotiations, mirroring what happened in 1996, run the risk of discrediting the process and he foresees the same outcome of that first year of MMP. "I'm thinking it won't last, whatever it is," he said. "I just think there's an in-built self destruct mechanism. It's the vanity of the party doing the negotiating, it's all about it rather than what's in the best interest of the country and you can't build a house that way." (function(d, s, id) {var js,ijs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(d.getElementById(id))return;js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//embed.scribblelive.com/widgets/embed.js";ijs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, ijs);}(document, 'script', 'scrbbl-js')); He believes the major parties are scared of kingmaker Winston Peters and they shouldn't be forming a government on that basis. Peters snuck in a back entrance to parliament on Tuesday morning, avoiding questions from the waiting media. Much of the party's board and caucus followed suit ahead of the continuation of Monday's caucus meeting. Senior MP Tracey Martin said talks had gone into the evening but was unsure when the board and caucus might reach a decision. "I don't know. We're still working through some stuff," she said. New MP Shane Jones offered a cryptic response to questions: "Soon the Monarch Butterfly will emerge." Earlier, Labour leader Jacinda Ardern said her party's coalition negotiations with NZ First were yet to get into the nitty gritty of ministerial positions. Negotiations could not be concluded until until those discussions had happened, she said. "The governor-general has to know there is the... ability of parliament to secure the numbers in the house so there has to be eventually an announcement around the way that government would be made up," she said. Holding the balance of power, NZ First can either grant National a fourth term, by joining it and forming a government, or it can make Ms Ardern prime minister in a Labour-led government. Its MPs and board have in front of them two option papers setting out the deals offered by the main parties. But despite this position of power, Ms Ardern hit out at the idea the major parties were "lap dogs" and bending over backwards to do everything they could to please Mr Peters. "In these negotiations, we have it within our power to say these are the things we are willing to talk about and compromise on and these are the things we are not," she said. "We have a lot of power in our hands," she said. 2017-10-16T20:16:32.000Z English on negotiations with NZ First https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/english-on-negotiations-with-nz-first/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/english-on-negotiations-with-nz-first/ After a long day of waiting for NZ First to decide on their fate, Labour leader Jacinda Ardern and National leader Bill English are set to wait a bit longer as NZ First board talks carry on into a second day. English and Ardern were in Wellington yesterday to wait as the NZ First caucus and board met for hours in the party's Bowen House offices at Parliament. In mid-afternoon, a statement was issued to advise the meeting would be "several hours" longer and after 6pm media were told there would be no public statements and the board would return again this morning. Although NZ First leader Winston Peters said he expected to announce NZ First's intentions as soon as possible after that board meeting, English said that even if NZ First made its decision on which side to go with there would have to be further negotiations before a final deal and government was settled on. "They won't be looking at completed agreements because there are still a number of issues related to forming a government that have not yet been dealt with. The policy discussion was completed but there is not yet an agreement including the type of government, ministerial positions to put to our caucus or party board." He said working out those final details should not take long although if NZ First continued to negotiate with both sides on those issues it could be more difficult because of the added "complexity" on the Labour side because of the inclusion of the Green Party. English has not spoken about negotiations since last Monday and said NZ First had to push for what it could while it had the bargaining power to do so. "Look at it from NZ First's point of view. They're trying to secure policy gains when they're in a position to do so because it's a bit harder once you're in government." He believed National was in a strong position and the talks had also helped to test the relationships between the teams as well as policy differences. "It was a way of testing whether the parties can get on, testing the relationships a bit and just seeing how they work together. That's all been really positive." He said that was important because the parties in any government arrangement needed to be able to deal with each other "in an atmosphere of respect" to cope with matters that arose that had not been envisaged in a coalition agreement. The nine NZ First caucus members and 14 board members were sequestered away for the day getting meals taken into them rather than leaving for food. The meeting broke soon after 6pm and the board left through a back entrance. Only NZ First MP Shane Jones left past the waiting media, saying they were going to get dinner. It is not clear what the process will be in terms of NZ First advising National and Labour what its decision is once it has settled on it. The Green Party has also again held off holding its Special General Meeting to seek 75 per cent approval from about 150 delegates for its deal with Labour. It has been ready to hold that meeting for days. Peters said little during the day and would not confirm whether his discussions with one party were more advanced than another. He did confirm English was correct that he had not discussed ministerial portfolios in negotiations. He has also said the board and caucus were yet to consider what form of government NZ First would settle on - from the cross benches to a full coalition. Ardern refused to comment, saying only that it was before the NZ First board and that was an issue for that party. Earlier, Peters had told Newstalk ZB it was a complex decision and all options for a government formation were still on the table - from the cross benches to a full coalition. He wanted the party to decide based on policy gains rather than ministerial roles. He said NZ First had worked over the weekend to firm up the precise agreements with National and Labour, and contact had been "reasonably extensive". But there had been no discussion on ministerial positions. "The danger of these sorts of talks is when people get ahead of themselves and concern themselves with positions and preferment and things like that and policy gets sacrificed on the way through" 2017-10-16T16:37:16.000Z Peters: 'It takes time to get a clear understanding on what you have precisely agreed upon' https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/peters-it-takes-time-to-get-a-clear-understanding-on-what-you-have-precisely-agreed-upon/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/peters-it-takes-time-to-get-a-clear-understanding-on-what-you-have-precisely-agreed-upon/ NZ First Leader, Winston Peters, talks to Newstalk ZB Political Commentator, Barry Soper, about the ongoing coalition talks and when an announcement will be made.  LISTEN ABOVE TO WINSTON PETERS TALK TO BARRY SOPER. 2017-10-16T06:51:11.000Z NZ First meeting could drag on into tomorrow https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/nz-first-meeting-could-drag-on-into-tomorrow/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/nz-first-meeting-could-drag-on-into-tomorrow/ UPDATED 6.29pm: There will be no announcement on a new government tonight. New Zealand First is holding a meeting of its caucus and board to agree on supporting either National or Labour. LISTEN ABOVE TO WINSTON PETERS TALK TO BARRY SOPER. A spokeswoman says that meeting will continue tonight and reconvene tomorrow at 9am. Leader Winston Peters has said an announcement will be made as soon as possible after the meeting ends.One MP, Mark Patterson, arrived ahead of the meeting and said a lot of clarification had been needed over the weekend on the coalition negotiations held with the main parties last week. He's not the only one signalling that it could take a little longer than Monday to make a decision. National leader Bill English said his party was yet to talk to kingmaker Winston Peters about ministerial positions and the NZ First board would not have a completed agreement to sign off on. "The discussion NZ First are having today is another step in the process, but it's by no means the final step in actually agreeing a government," Mr English said. NZ First holds the balance of power and can either grant National a fourth term or make Jacinda Ardern prime minister in a Labour-led government. If it goes to the centre-left, the Greens have to be part of the deal because NZ First and Labour don't have enough seats between them for a majority. A Greens' spokesman said about 170 delegates were "ready to go" for a teleconference that would sign off their support of any agreement. It would need 75 per cent support. NZ First could decide to form a full coalition government, with its MPs holding cabinet positions, or go for a looser support agreement with ministerial positions outside cabinet. It may alternatively choose to stay on the cross benches and abstaining on confidence votes, which would allow National to continue governing because it has the most seats. NZ First has nine MPs and its board has 14 members, including Mr Peters and his deputy Ron Mark. Mr Peters insists he won't make the decision and says it will be entirely up to his caucus and board. Ms Ardern and Mr English are bound by a confidentiality agreement until Mr Peters announces the decision. 2017-10-16T02:39:01.000Z What are the options in front of Winston Peters? https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/what-are-the-options-in-front-of-winston-peters/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/what-are-the-options-in-front-of-winston-peters/ Audrey Young assesses three of the main options open to the New Zealand First caucus and council. COALITION • What is it? Like a marriage, living and working together. It would mean New Zealand First being at the heart of government and literally sitting around the cabinet table with National or Labour. It would mean being involved in every major decision, and having to defend all decisions of cabinet no matter what the party's position before the decision was taken. • For It would mean ministerial posts within cabinet and greater power to implement the policy agreement hammered out in talks last week. It would mean greater involvement in the Budget process for the next three years. It would mean greater involvement in issues as they arose. If the country prospered, and the government remained stable, and NZ First ministers did a good job, the party could campaign on its record at the next election. • Against It would mean having to take collective responsibility for cabinet decisions including the ones NZ First disagreed with. It could mean a loss of identity if the larger party did not give sufficient power and credit to the smaller partner. CONFIDENCE AND SUPPLY WITH MINISTERS OUTSIDE CABINET • What is it? Like a marriage but living in different wings of the house. It would mean New Zealand First making a commitment to support either National or Labour to govern but keeping some distance from the larger party by preferring to keep out of the heart of government. • For It would give NZ First room to maintain its identity and to even criticise the larger party on some issues because it would not have to adhere to collective cabinet responsibility. It would give New Zealand First a lot of influence over government without having to take responsibility. • Against The freedom to criticise the larger party has been overrated because, in reality, it would be a rarity, lest it be construed as instability. That would leave New Zealand First with less power for only a theoretical advantage of distance. If the Government was unpopular, New Zealand First would be blamed anyway because it had chosen it. Less power to drive implementation of the policy agreement reached last week. CROSS-BENCHES • What is it? Like a celibate engagement. Normally it means no favours to anyone. But in this case it would have to allow National or Labour to govern (by a commitment to abstention or opposing no-confidence motions) but have no ministers - and requiring the ruling party to get sign-off for any budget or supply issues. • For It could reduce the risk of New Zealand First becoming unpopular because it would have no ministers to muck up portfolios. It would spend its time ensuring the ruling party was implementing its commitments to NZ First policies and give it leverage for new demands during the term. • Against It could look like New Zealand First was using its power disproportionately by making the ruling party go cap in hand to it for every budgetary issue. It would look like the tail wagging the dog. It may confuse the public - people would wonder why New Zealand First eschewed the chance to be in government when that is what it campaigned for. 2017-10-15T16:56:00.000Z NZ First board meeting Monday to decide next Government https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/nz-first-board-meeting-monday-to-decide-next-government/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/nz-first-board-meeting-monday-to-decide-next-government/ NZ First's board will meet on Monday to vote on two options for forming the next government. Kingmaker Winston Peters emerged from his party's caucus meeting on Friday morning to announce the country was a step closer to a decision being made. Wearing a tie emblazoned with repeated TGIF lettering, shorthand for Thank God It's Friday, Mr Peters revealed members of the board would fly to Wellington on Sunday night and Monday for the meeting. Talks could go into the night and a decision will be announced as soon as possible after the meeting, he added. Mr Peters and his negotiating team held final meetings with National and Labour on Thursday, going late into the night. "Any communication now will be between key officers and key operatives on either side so we can sort it out by phone call and text communication," he said. A comprehensive dossier has been completed from the meetings with both sides. They contain details of the concessions offered by National and Labour that will allow NZ First policies to be implemented by the next government. There's nothing in them about ministerial positions - Mr Peters says that's something that can be worked out later. Friday's caucus meeting is expected to conclude drafting documents that will be presented to the board meeting setting out what the party will get from the deals offered. The Greens are essential to a centre-left government because Labour and NZ First don't have enough seats between them for a majority, but they've played no part in the negotiations. Mr Peters insisted on negotiating only with National and Labour, leaving it up to Labour to deliver the Greens' support. 2017-10-13T01:31:41.000Z Political Roundup: Signs of a Labour-NZ First government https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/political-roundup-signs-of-a-labour-nz-first-government/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/political-roundup-signs-of-a-labour-nz-first-government/ LISTEN ABOVE AS FORMER NZ FIRST NEIL KIRTON SPOKE TO MIKE HOSKING Is Winston Peters about to announce a Labour-NZ First government? Yesterday I looked at arguments NZ First might be inclined to choose National. Below are recent items laying out the reasons a Labour-led government could be NZ First's best choice. 1) On the most important policy issues, Labour can give NZ First what it wants Newshub's Lloyd Burr has put together an excellent list of NZ First's supposed 25 "bottom lines" for negotiation, and he evaluates the likelihood of National and Labour yielding to each one - see: The comprehensive list of Winston Peters' bottom lines. 2) Winston Peters wants a legacy of change Winston Peters "doesn't want to be remembered as the man who went with National twice, when the country, to a greater or lesser extent, wanted something else. He understands this is his last chance to genuinely put New Zealand first". So says Chris Trotter, talking about Winston Peters desire for a legacy on the AM Show - see: What does Winston Peters want as his legacy?. Trotter says "What he wants to be remembered for is the person who, in that last three-year period, brought together everything he has been as a politician since the late 1970s. If it's simply to keep in the National Party for another three years, that's not what he wants to be remembered for." READ MORE: Still no sign on NZ First decision 3) Winston Peters will want to hit back against the Establishment Chris Trotter also writes this week about Winston Peters' long history of battles with New Zealand's "political class", or Establishment. He argues Peters needs to resist the pressure to put National back into power, and instead be the "grit" that enables a Labour and Greens government to make real and lasting change to "this country's economic and social direction" - see: 'Dear Winston' - an open letter to the leader of NZ First. 4) NZ First should choose a brand-new government, because voters want change Finlay Macdonald argues "more than half the country" voted for change, and Peters could "play the role of elder statesman in a young, progressive government at a time when the need for economic, environmental and social reform has never been greater" - see: Which Winston will step up for coalition talks?. Peters' legacy won't be secured with National, according to Macdonald: "there will be no great legacy available to him for propping up a government clearly past its use-by date, no matter what little wins (or baubles of office) he extracts in the process" 5) The economic nationalism of NZ First, Labour and the Greens is a unifying factor According to Gordon Campbell "Peters is a nationalist, more than anything else", and this binds him to the left parties - see: What does Winston Peters want his legacy to be?.Campbell says: "Yes, Peters and many of his supporters certainly have their social and generational differences with Labour and the Greens, but these pale in comparison with the similarities between them on the more basic issues to do with economic sovereignty." 6) NZ First supporters prefer Labour-Greens According to a Colmar Brunton survey earlier in the year, 65 per cent of NZ First voters favoured Labour, rather than National, leading the new government. Toby Manhire therefore argues that NZ First's caucus should be regarded as being split between the left and right blocs: "if we factor those responses in, the centre-left option nudges ahead... the Labour-Green side would get about six and a half seats, and National about two and a half... The point is, roughly speaking, if we assign those preferences, you'd finish up with Labour-NZF-Green at 62 seats versus National-NZF at 57 seats, with ACT's one seat tallying up the 120" - see: After specials, it's closer than ever - but what do Winston's voters want?. 7) NZ First policy is more aligned with the left Simon Wilson says "NZ First and Labour policies align pretty well, and the Greens can be accommodated in much of that alignment too. But NZ First and National do not enjoy this luxury: from fiscal settings to immigration, regional development to welfare, their policy settings do not align with NZ First's. That means Labour is the natural partner for NZ First" - see: The special votes swing left - here's how the votes fell and what they mean. 8) NZ First still has profound differences of policy and ethos with National RadioLive's Mitch Harris says "National as the landowning, farming and big business party is less worried about housing costs and likes to have a plentiful supply of cheap labour. Labour, The Greens and NZ First want Government to have a greater hand in directing the economy. These are profound differences in outlook and no coalition agreement can 'future-proof' these sorts of differences three years into the future" - see: Common purpose more important than just 'wins'. He is predicting a Labour-NZF-Green government, largely due to their similarities: "In 2017 Labour and The Greens have far more in common with NZ First than National does. Labour and NZ First want to cut back our high immigration numbers to give working people a better chance of earning a decent living. They also share a concern about wealthy foreigners bidding up the costs of land and housing". READ MORE: NZ first will go with Labour-Greens, says former MP 9) Bill English has made negotiation mistakes Bill English was quite outspoken at the beginning of the coalition negotiations, according to Barry Soper, and this hasn't served National well. For example, "The best he could say of Peters during the campaign was that he was a challenge to do business with, then on the Monday after the election he told the nation he called Peters the night before but he didn't pick up. That was designed to embarrass Peters, and it did, who told us he was out of cellphone range and when he got what would have been a most pleasant message from English it was too late to call him back" - see: Bill English doing little to endear himself to Winston Peters. Also, see Soper's earlier column, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, don't rule it out. 10) Luckily for Labour, the Greens ended up with less votes than NZ First Winston Peters will be comfortable choosing a Labour-Greens arrangement because NZ First will still be the second biggest party. David Cormack explains: "while the Greens' total of 8 MPs is just under 60 per cent of the number they had last time it was crucial to Winston's ego that they had fewer MPs than him. If the Greens had managed to get two seats from the specials and draw level with NZFirst then it's likely that he would have been a lot more inclined to go with the Nats. Wherever he goes he's got to be the second biggest party" - see: Winston and the predictable, boring, no clearer, very dull specials. 11) Winston Peters will have more power in a Labour-led government John Armstrong has explained that the NZ First leader will have learnt his lesson from the last time he went with National: "As Peters soon discovered, after reinstalling National in power after the 1996 election, the kingmaker becomes the target for discontent and dissatisfaction - not the king or queen. That would be best avoided by New Zealand First being a driving force in a first-term Labour-led administration. That would be far more preferable than being a cling-on to a fourth-term National-dominated one. Were Peters to opt for Labour, the ratio of that party's seats to New Zealand First's would be five to one. If his choice is National, the ratio edges closer to seven to one - and he has consequently less leverage" - see: Winston Peters' ultimate bottom line. Furthermore "If policy compatibility is the gauge, Labour is again the only realistic choice. Labour would be far more amenable to slashing immigrant numbers than is National, for example. Only Labour can make the changes in economic policy to satisfy Peters' demand for an alternative to the "failed experiment" of neo-liberalism. Opting for National would suggest he did not actually believe what he had been spouting on the campaign trail." 12) Winston Peters holds a grudge against a National Party that tried to kill him off Not only is Peters still seething at the idea senior National figures may have leaked his superannuation overpayment details, National also tried to cut him out of Parliament. North & South magazine's Graham Adams explains how National has antagonised Peters: "English took even bigger gambles this election and he may be the bigger loser on account of it. He believed he could knock Peters out of the race altogether - by an aggressive campaign in Northland and an attempt to force NZ First's vote under five per cent" - see: Bill English: A gambling man. 13) NZ First has better personal relations with Labour Personal relationships matter in politics and Vernon Small explains that Labour "has the edge in terms of closer and warmer personal relationships. That is a legacy of the 2005-2008 period in Government together and the joint battles in opposition since then. And there is no doubt Peters has some serious issues with National on a number of fronts, and with its finance guru Steven Joyce in particular" - see: The game is everything Winston Peters wanted. Finally, a new song has emerged that satirises Winston Peters' current position of power. Called "The Kingmaker", the song by The Rekkidz is explained by the Herald - see: Rewi McLay and Nathan Judd write Winston Peters 'kingmaker' song. 2017-10-12T22:56:09.000Z Still no sign on NZ First decision https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/still-no-sign-on-nz-first-decision/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/still-no-sign-on-nz-first-decision/ NZ First's caucus has begun meetings to discuss government options to present to its board - but there's still no clue as to when that might happen. MPs arrived at parliament on Friday morning for talks which could take all day. Newcomer Mark Patterson stopped briefly to say the discussions were being held with the highest integrity. "At my level we haven't had any visibility about what's happening so we'll be looking forward to seeing what the options are," he said. "We'll find out this morning." Kingmaker Winston Peters and his negotiating team held final meetings with National and Labour on Thursday, going late into the night. "I'm very, very pleased we've actually got it finished," Mr Peters told reporters."We've got a seriously comprehensive dossier from both sides." Those dossiers contain details of the concessions offered by National and Labour that will allow NZ First policies to be implemented by the next government. There's nothing in them about ministerial positions - Mr Peters says that's something that can be worked out later. The NZ First caucus began a meeting on Thursday night to draft documents that will be presented to the board meeting setting out what the party will get from the deals offered. That meeting is expected to continue for most of Friday. Mr Peters has said the board meeting will be held in Wellington on Saturday, Sunday or Monday. A firm date is expected to be set on Friday. The Greens are essential to a centre-left government because Labour and NZ First don't have enough seats between them for a majority, but they've played no part in the negotiations. Mr Peters insisted on negotiating only with National and Labour, leaving it up to Labour to deliver the Greens' support. 2017-10-12T22:07:21.000Z Peters has 'no regrets' over missed deadline https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/peters-has-no-regrets-over-missed-deadline/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/peters-has-no-regrets-over-missed-deadline/ No coalition talks today for Winston Peters' negotiating team, and no meeting of the board either, but he says there are no regrets over missing his deadline to decide a new Government. He told Newsroom back in March that he would have a decision by return of writ day, October 12th, and the public would be hearing from him the same day. Instead, coalition talks with the two major parties finished up, but he's yet to talk to his board, who he says are responsible for the final decision. Mr Peters denied it's created a sense of false expectation from the public, and gave something of a new deadline for an announcement. "Ten days, or nine days or eight days which might be still a prospect is not too long to wait." Difficulties getting all of New Zealand First's board members to Wellington has meant postponement of the final sign-off meeting, and it now could be as late as Monday before they're all in Wellington. Peters said the formation of a Government is a job he wants done totally and properly and he's not concerned that it's meant missing his own deadline. "Well I just couldn't..we couldn't make it, no I have no regrets about that, no I have no regrets about that, at all." Mr Peters said in other countries it's taken up to six months. 2017-10-12T16:10:30.000Z Winston Peters keeps NZ First keeps board membership secret https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/winston-peters-keeps-nz-first-keeps-board-membership-secret/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/winston-peters-keeps-nz-first-keeps-board-membership-secret/ NZ First won't reveal the members of the board who will determine New Zealand's next government because they deserve their privacy. Leader Winston Peters says his party values transparency but also an individual's privacy. The board had been expected to meet in Wellington on Friday to consider two choices put to them after five days of negotiations come to an end on Thursday night. But Mr Peters has now pushed that out saying logistics means they might not meet until Monday. He first told reporters that board members could have been identified at the party's annual conference earlier this year, but later put out a statement saying their identities would be protected. READ MORE: Signs point to a National-led government "By putting their name forward to serve on the board they do not expect to have their privacy invaded and to become public figures," he said. "New Zealand First values transparency but we also value an individual's privacy especially when they volunteer their services." The party's president Brent Catchpole had reluctantly sought two days ago to release a full list of board members but retracted that plan after some board members asked to have their names withheld. "You don't need to know the names of the board members. It's as simple as that," he told BusinessDesk on Thursday morning. "That's just something you're going to have to live with." The only publicly disclosed members are Mr Peters, deputy leader Ron Mark, Mr Catchpole and secretary Anne Martin. RNZ has published a list it says it obtained from party sources, naming a vice president North Island, Julian Paul, a vice president South Island, John Thorn, and treasurer Holly Hopkinson. Claire Ashley, Toa Greening, Robert Monds, Anne Marie Andrews, Kevin Gardener and Sue Sara are listed as other directors. What we do know about the NZ First board A martial arts teacher and IT consultant are among the select group of New Zealanders set to agree upon the next Government. The New Zealand First board will be presented with two options at a special meeting over the weekend or Monday, after final negotiations today. Some board members are well known, including leader Winston Peters and deputy leader Ron Mark. However, other party figures have little or no public profile. There is no list of board members on the NZ First website, and the party has declined to release a list. Leader Winston Peters said that was because members were entitled to privacy. "They are not politicians but New Zealanders who believe in the party and wish to make a contribution to the decision-making process. "They give up their valuable spare time to take part in board meetings and attend to other matters, and we are grateful for that. "By putting their name forward to serve on the board they do not expect to have their privacy invaded and to become public figures. This privacy extends to all party members." That stance comes despite board details previously being published on the NZ First website, and distributed in material relating to party conferences in past years. The Herald has confirmed members have recently included: • Winston Peters, leader. • Ron Mark, deputy leader. • Brent Catchpole, president and former MP. • Anne Martin, party secretary and mother of MP Tracey Martin. • Holly Ellen, treasurer. • Julian Paul, North Island vice president. Works in sales and teaches martial arts and stood in Epsom at the election. • John Thorn, South Island vice-president. • Kristin Campbell-Smith, director general ex-officio. • Kevin Gardener. A former party president. • Claire Ashley. • Toa Greening. A Papakura-based information engineering consultant and Manurewa local board member. • Anne-Marie Andrews. • Susan Sara, stood in Nelson at the election. • Robert Monds. An Aucklander and part of a growing number of young people involved in the party. The board and caucus will be presented with two options at the same meeting. By the time the meeting is over they will have agreed on supporting a National or Labour-led Government. NZ First held a caucus meeting this morning before its negotiating team entered another full day of talks with National and Labour. Talks today are the fifth and final day of negotiations. Peters said there wouldn't be a vote at the board and caucus meeting, but discussions would continue until most if not all board members were in agreement. "You don't want to be going to a vote in these matters. You want a serious consensus. If you haven't got a serious consensus, stay there until you get one." Peters hit out at media for what he said was the suggestion that he alone would decide whether to back Labour or National, saying his party was and always had been democratic. Peters says the NZ First board will not be able to meet tomorrow to consider proposed deals with National and Labour - but it could happen over the weekend or on Monday. On his way back to from his first meeting with National, Peters said while he was "pretty confident" he would complete talks with National and Labour by tonight, a board meeting would depend on the members' availability - and would not happen tomorrow. "It depends upon the logistical availability of the board, which could be Saturday, Sunday or Monday." He said he would know soon - and it was "a priority." He ruled out using teleconferencing or Skype. "It wouldn't be satisfactory. We thought about that. We thought we could circumvent all of that by doing it by Skype but that would not be the kind of serious discussion we need to have." Peters also denied he had ever said October 12 was the date he had said he would make a decision public, saying his comments about that date had been misinterpreted. 2017-10-12T00:59:56.000Z Political Roundup: Signs of a National-NZ First government https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/political-roundup-signs-of-a-national-nz-first-government/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/political-roundup-signs-of-a-national-nz-first-government/ The day has arrived for Winston Peters and New Zealand First to decide which major party to put into power - even if the announcement won't actually be made today. It really could go either way, but below are ten items that suggest Peters will be inclined to choose National. A follow-up column will look at signs of a Labour-NZ government. 1) The Greens could be too unstable in coalition government Former National Cabinet Minister Wayne Mapp has plenty of experience with MMP, and offers his observations of How coalitions are made (and destroyed). Mapp draws particular attention to the need for stability, arguing that NZ First will be wary of the Greens proving reminiscent of the Alliance, especially on foreign affairs: "If the Alliance could self destruct over Afghanistan in 2002, then it is quite possible the Greens would do the same in similar circumstances." See also Newshub's Greens could be 'stumbling block' to Labour victory - Patrick Gower. 2) Going with National will be simpler for NZ First In a column written prior to the release of the final results, leftwing political journalist Gordon Campbell put forward a number of reasons he suspects NZ First will go with National, including "a formal coalition with National would (a) create a bigger margin for passing legislation and (b) be cleaner to manage, in that only one other partner would be involved" - see: Peters' end game in the coalition talks. Campbell says "All things considered, while it's not impossible for Peters to go centre-left, it seems less likely. So to my mind - and this is only a wild guess - the likely options are between a formal coalition with National, or a confidence and supply deal with National." In his latest column - Is Winston Peters our best current defence against market extremism? - Campbell cleverly foreshadows the rationalisations that will accompany Peters' decision - whatever it may be - and says we can also look forward to "a stern lecture as to why the decision he reached had always been so very, very obvious." 3) There will be too much backlash from a deal with Labour and the Greens If NZ First choose Labour and the Greens, there will be a massive backlash against the party, according to National Party blogger David Farrar: "For the first time the biggest party isn't Government. Sure the political scientists and Twitterati will proclaim that is how MMP works. But they are not representative of the population... Those who say there will be no backlash don't understand that not everyone is a political scientist. Many will see the Government as illegitimate. It will be called the coalition of the losers" - see: Why my heart wants Winston to choose Labour. In addition Farrar suggests, "Winston choosing Labour and the Greens (regardless of whether or not Greens get Ministers) will go down like cold sick in much of rural and provincial New Zealand." 4) If NZ First wants to sit on "the crossbenches" outside of government, then National is more likely According to Mike Hosking, if NZ First chooses to stay out of government entirely, it will likely choose National: "If a confidence and supply deal is the way we go ...you'd have to favour National, if for no other reason that they as a singular party have more support that both Labour and the Greens combined. For a third player to support two other players into government that can't together equal the support of the single largest player is not democracy ... and wouldn't go down well at all" - see: Major parties acting like subservient wimps. National's superior vote is just too strong for NZ First to ignore The "moral authority" of National to govern means the incumbents are likely to be chosen by NZ First, according to John Roughan, writing on the day the final results came out: "When the final result of the election is declared today National is almost certain to have its victory confirmed. The margin over Labour will probably be reduced but still decisive. We should pause to acknowledge what an historic result this is" - see: A fourth election victory is truly historic. Similarly, see Roughan's earlier column, A personality cult decides our next government. 6) National might be more able to help NZ First with a legacy National Party sources have told Richard Harman that the party can't necessarily compete with Labour in offering policy concessions to NZ First, but there might be other gains they can offer, such as helping Ron Mark or Shane Jones win their electorate seats at the next election, in order to secure the survival of the party when Winston Peters retires - see: Winston faces a dilemma - policy or legacy. 7) Many commentators deem National the likely winner The Spinoff website asked a number of pundits the question: Which way will Winston leap?. Most of those surveyed seem to think National will emerge victorious. For example, Steve Braunias explains why: "I think Peters won't want to be part of a loser triumvirate. He's great at picking winners. He'll go with National. Also he'll be the equal or the better of English, alongside him in government; alongside Ardern, he'll just look like a silly old second-rate prat." 8) Following its traditionalist inclinations, NZ First will opt for National Stuff political editor Tracy Watkins says National has the edge to become government: "the odds are still weighted in National's favour. Peters is an old-fashioned politician and, despite the theatre, will be taking seriously the weight of public support behind National" - see: Winston Peters is in the box seat, and don't we know it. Watkins sees a re-run of 1996: "Peters' reasons for going with National back then were the same ones that will take priority in 2017 - whichever of Labour or National he chooses, it will be based on Peters' belief in it being the most stable and more durable of the two options." 9) NZ First is conservative According to veteran political columnist John Armstrong, writing soon after the election, Winston Peters will be very aware of "the risk he would be taking in hitching his unique brand of conservatism to the political correctness exhibited by Labour. Peters likes to talk a lot about bottom lines. But his ultimate bottom line is the survival of New Zealand First after he (eventually) retires from politics. And that will incline him to lean more in National's direction as post-election negotiations progress over coming weeks" - see: Winston Peters' ultimate bottom line. 10) NZ First has lost its more leftwing supporters Much is being made of NZ First supporters being more favourable towards a coalition with Labour. Yet during the campaign, many of these supporters shifted to Labour. Colin James explains: "If you had to assign New Zealand First conference delegates to National or Labour, most would go Labour. The same majority applies to its policies. But the fact that New Zealand First's support halved after Ardern was made leader might mean its residual supporters are mostly National-leaning" - see: English on top but facing a stronger Labour. Finally, for the latest in coalition satire, see Toby Manhire's Hi Winston, just a few thoughts..., Ben Uffindell's Winston Peters said nothing in talks with National, just walked around room with a box cutter, Scott Yorke's These coalition talks and Steve Braunias' Secret Dairy of the coalition talks. 2017-10-11T22:03:45.000Z Today's the day: Winston's last-minute moves https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/todays-the-day-winstons-last-minute-moves/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/todays-the-day-winstons-last-minute-moves/ It is the last day of negotiations for New Zealand First and National and Labour and NZ First leader Winston Peters has ramped up pressure on both sides, saying what happens in the talks today could decide what his party will do. Talks will wrap by this evening and Peters said he was expecting them to be the most substantive talks of the week. Peters' negotiating team will then take two options to the NZ First board although a meeting date and time is yet to be set. The country will find out who will lead the next Government after the NZ First board makes its decision - which Peters said he hoped to get a consensus on. "Then we will be able to put together the full picture for both sides," Peters told media after leaving a meeting with National last night. "We are going to the board with both options. You don't want to be going to a vote in these matters. You want a serious consensus. If you haven't got a serious consensus, stay there until you get one." In a bid to improve Labour's case, the Green Party members could be asked to approve its deal with Labour as soon as today with little notice of the agreement's details. Labour wants to ensure the Greens are formally on board before Peters and his team make their final decision so they can guarantee they have the numbers. Green Party leader James Shaw and his team met Labour leader Jacinda Ardern and her negotiators twice yesterday to hammer out the agreement Labour will have with the Greens. Shaw and the Green team are working blind, without knowing the details of what Ardern is set to offer Peters. He has said he is leaving it to trust to ensure the Greens' deal is not worse than any NZ First might get. However, that approach isn't supported by former Green MP Sue Bradford, who told the Herald that Green supporters shouldn't be in the dark on what Peters and his party were getting. "In the end, the Greens couldn't go back to their people and make a decision without knowing what Labour had signed up to with Winston," Bradford said. "You can understand why you don't know ahead of time. But at the point of being on the verge of signing, then all parties should know each other's position." One of Labour's concerns is that the Green Party will put Peters off siding with Labour, either because of any objections to the Greens policies or because a three-party Government is more complicated. Shaw told media yesterday that he trusts Ardern to arrive at a good deal for his party. That would be important in ensuring a stable Government that could pass legislation. "Jacinda made fairness one of her principle values in the campaign. I have known her for a number of years and I said this before the election - I trust her, and she seems to be doing a good job of it." Shaw would not say if the Greens were considering or open to the idea of sitting on the cross benches, instead of being part of a Government with Labour and NZ First. The Greens are ready to conduct their special general meeting to get sign off at a moment's notice - and were prepared to hold the teleconference call as early as last night if necessary. It needs 75 per cent support to go ahead - and the quick timeframe and confidentiality around discussions means the delegates responsible for signing off on the agreement will not get advance notice of the details. Possibilities include full coalition with ministerial positions inside Cabinet, a support agreement with ministers outside Cabinet and a confidence and supply agreement from the cross benches. Shaw has favoured the full coalition model. Labour will need the support of both NZ First and the Greens to form a Government. However, it is negotiating with both parties separately. Green Party regional delegates will approve any deal involving the party, but that would be between only Labour and the Greens, with Labour signing its own agreement with NZ First. The Greens have set up a reference group to link the negotiating team and the membership. It includes former co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons and will decide how best to present the terms of any potential agreement to the party delegates. That process is designed to counter the fact the delegates will not have much time to consider the agreement. The delegates would not have a chance to alter any of the terms during the meeting. A membership vote would not necessarily take place. The party's constitution says a vote can be taken "if consensus on a motion is not achieved after reasonable attempts". This would happen if, for example, a party delegate blocked the motion. Shaw said the Greens had campaigned hard to change the Government. "That is what we campaigned on. We have thrown everything at it. That is what we are working on - securing that deal to change the Government." NZ First has a strained history with the Greens, including when it vetoed the Greens from Government in 2005. Back then Peters made it a condition of his support for Labour that it was with the Labour Government only, not a Labour-Greens Government, on the grounds of stability. The relationship has improved, but Peters has been highly critical of the Labour and Greens' memorandum of understanding, and yesterday told media the two parties had spent years "hugging", "embracing" and "loving" each other. In July, Peters responded to then Green co-leader Metiria Turei calling him "racist" by saying such attacks would have consequences. But yesterday he responded to questions about the Greens by pointing out he had never criticised the party's current leader, James Shaw. "Contrary to what you people say, I've never had a bad word with him or about him, that you could possibly quote. Because I've never said something bad about him in my career," Peters said. After the morning's meetings, Peters said the parties had talked only about policies - not ministerial positions - and he did not expect that to change. Asked if he'd want to be Finance Minister, he said "no." "I said it's all about policy and it is. We've never mentioned anything about personal preferment and positions at all." Bradford said that while Labour could sign separate agreements with the Greens and New Zealand First, Green supporters shouldn't be in the dark on what Peters and his party were getting. She said there were areas where NZ First and Green policies overlapped where substantive gains could be made - such as regional development, transport and rail, foreign ownership, and opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement. But there are stark policy differences. That includes on immigration. New Zealand's population grew by 100,400 in the year to June. Net migration of 72,300 people contributed to this increase. NZ First wants to slash net migration numbers to 10,000, while Labour says its own restrictions would cut numbers by 20,000 to 30,000 a year. The Green Party had proposed capping migration at 1 per cent of population growth, but later abandoned that policy. Shaw had apologised for focusing on numbers, saying he was "mortified" at accusations by migrant groups that the Greens had pandered to anti-immigrant rhetoric. Bradford said one area she has "nightmares" about, despite thinking it unlikely to happen, was if NZ First agreed with Labour to hold a referendum on the so-called anti-smacking legislation, which passed in 2007 after being introduced by Bradford, then a Green MP. Peters said in a speech during the campaign his party's policy was to hold a referendum on the anti-smacking law. "If I was in the Green Party and didn't know that was part of a deal [between Labour and NZ First], then you would be very angry. Whatever issue people are passionate about, people have a right to know," Bradford said. "They should know, absolutely. It's only going to be an outline. It won't be every detail of policy." Bradford said she saw merit in Labour negotiating separately with NZ First and the Greens. While she hadn't been a member of the party since 2009, she personally felt there was a mood to change the Government, even if that involved NZ First. "I really hope that if this does happen, if they do make a deal, that they don't end up swallowing dead rats that are too big. I mean, that is always the question." 2017-10-11T17:35:51.000Z Winston Peters heaps scorn on Labour's partner https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/winston-peters-heaps-scorn-on-labours-partner/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/winston-peters-heaps-scorn-on-labours-partner/ Winston Peters has fired a shot at the Greens' relevance to coalition negotiations, suggesting the party plays a minor role in any final decisions. The New Zealand First leader said regular reports of a "Labour-Green government" over the past three years were wrong. Leaving this afternoon's meeting with Labour, Peters said the meeting went "very well", with both sides working through the assigned material faster than expected. Asked about James Shaw's comment earlier today that he trusts Jacinda Ardern to strike a fair deal with the Greens, while negotiating a separate deal with NZ First, Peters said he couldn't speak for Shaw. "Contrary to what you people say, I've never had a bad word with him or about him, that you could possibly quote. Because I've never said something bad about him in my career. "So could you just leave it at the fact that I'm talking about New Zealand First and what we are doing, rather than any other party." Discussions were still all about policy, Peters said. "It will be policy all the way up to tomorrow night." Peters was unimpressed when asked his verdict on some home baking apparently taken by Ardern into the meeting. "This is a rather serious issue, alright? It is about the next Government of this country and you ask me about a cake? Why have do you always have to drag things down to a pit like that." Ardern said good progress was being made. "We are making excellent progress still, working through a number of policies which are important both to New Zealand First and to the Labour Party. "Looking forward to holding another meeting this evening. Again, to continue talking about the policy priorities and how we can move forward New Zealand both economically and socially." NZ First will meet again with National at 4pm, and Labour at 6.30pm. Peters won't meet with the Greens and has said he doesn't want Labour to update NZ First on what the Greens want. Greens leader James Shaw says he trusts Ardern to work out a deal that his party will be happy with. At least 75 per cent of Green party members will need to approve any deal, and this will be done through delegates. Asked if he was concerned about that process, Peters implied the sign-off process wouldn't be complex because of the number of delegates that would be consulted. "You should know far more about the Greens than I do. But they don't have to go back to their membership. They have to go back to about 170 members. Even I know that." Peters turned on a journalist who asked about how the Greens would fit into any deal. "For two years you have run a Labour-Greens Government. Now you are asking me why you made that mistake for two years...you got it all wrong. "Please don't ask me to explain your gross misrepresentation of the political situation in this country for the last three years." 2017-10-11T03:06:14.000Z Coalition talks: NZ First, National 'making huge progress' https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/coalition-talks-nz-first-national-making-huge-progress/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/coalition-talks-nz-first-national-making-huge-progress/ Negotiations to form the next government are reaching a crucial stage with two days left for talks between NZ First and the main parties. NZ First leader Winston Peters has wrapped a morning meeting with National - saying "huge progress" is being made. Peters will shortly begin another meeting with Labour's negotiation team, and said a picture was emerging as to what policies parties' shared, and what they disagreed upon. "We are making huge progress finding out what we agree on, what we don't agree on, what we can still negotiate on. And where we might take things into the future by co-operation. "We know what we are doing. We have got a plan. And we are sticking with it." If Labour is to lead the next Government an agreement will need to be worked out with both NZ First and the Green Party. Peters won't meet with the Greens and has said he doesn't want Labour to update NZ First on what the Greens want. Greens leader James Shaw says he trusts Ardern to work out a deal that his party will be happy with. At least 75 per cent of Green party members will need to approve any deal, and this will be done through delegates. Prime Minister Bill English emerges from National's coalition talks with NZ First at Parliament. Photo / Mark Mitchell Asked if he was concerned about that process, Peters implied the sign-off process wouldn't be complex because of the number of delegates that would be consulted. "You should know far more about the Greens than I do. But they don't have to go back to their membership. They have to go back to about 170 members. Even I know that." Peters turned on a journalist who asked about how the Greens would fit into any deal. "For two years you have run a Labour-Greens Government. Now you are asking me why you made that mistake for two years...you got it all wrong. "Please don't ask me to explain your gross misrepresentation of the political situation in this country for the last three years." Earlier today, Green Party leader James Shaw finished his meeting with Jacinda Ardern and the Labour negotiating team - saying he trusts Labour to deliver a good deal for his party. Greens leader James Shaw after his meeting with Labour at Parliament. Photo / Mark Mitchell NZ First leader Winston Peters is only talking to Labour and has said he does not want to be told what the Greens want out of a deal. That puts the onus on Labour to form an arrangement with NZ First that will also be acceptable to the Greens. Any arrangement will need to be approved by at least 75 per cent of Green members. This will be done through delegates. Asked if he was confident Labour would represent fairly what the Green Party wants out of any deal, Shaw said he was. "Jacinda made fairness one of her principle values in the campaign. I have known her for a number of years and I said this before the election - I trust her, and she seems to be doing a good job of it. "It has got to be a stable and responsible Government that is going to go the full distance in the national interest. And Labour are working very hard in ensuring that happens. And that is of paramount concern to all of us. So I am very confident." Shaw would not say if the Greens were considering or open to the idea of sitting on the cross benches, instead of being part of a Government with Labour and NZ First. "I can't get into the detail of the negotiations." Shaw said the Greens had campaigned hard to change the Government. "That is what we campaigned on. We have thrown everything at it. That is what we are working on - is securing that deal to change the Government. "It has got to be worth it for everybody." Shaw said he wasn't concerned that Winston Peters had confirmed he wouldn't meet his self-imposed deadline of announcing NZ First's decision by tomorrow. "I think a day here, a day there, is no big deal in the grand scheme of things. I'm pretty relaxed about the timeframe." This morning, NZ First went into its first meeting of the day with National's negotiators for what is shaping up to be another long day of talks. Peters' team included commerce, energy and trade spokesman Fletcher Tabuteau while National's included its trade and state owned enterprises spokesman Todd McClay. Both have previously been called into the talks a couple of times but are not constant participants - indicating a policy area they are involved in is up for discussion. Otherwise NZ First's included Peters, Shane Jones, Ron Mark, Tracey Martin, Paul Carrad and a staff member. National's had English, Steven Joyce, Gerry Brownlee, Paula Bennett and chief of staff Wayne Eagleson. Jones has so far attended three meetings with National but has not been to any Labour meetings. Peters and his team last met with National's team for just over an hour last night and it got the first billing again this morning - putting it two meetings ahead of Labour. That will even out slightly over the course of the day. NZ First will meet with Labour at 12.30pm followed by a further meeting with National mid-afternoon. Then it is Labour's turn again at about 6.30pm. Peters has not ruled out squeezing in an extra meeting on top of those as he aims to close off discussions by tomorrow night. Earlier this morning, Winston Peters left his office ahead of another round of the meeting. Peters, accompanied by MP Shane Jones and adviser Paul Carrad, had little to say to waiting media. "How can I possibly tell you how the meetings are going to go before the meetings start?" Peters had said he would make his decision public tomorrow, but last night ruled that out, saying he expected decisions to go through until tomorrow night, and an announcement made as soon as possible after that. Yesterday Peters pushed out his deadline for an announcement on which side he will back, and now says it will be made "as soon as possible after Thursday night". He won't go as far as to confirm it will be on Friday. "Our target is to complete all these discussions by Thursday night," he told reporters on Tuesday night after another round of negotiations with National and Labour. "We will make it [the announcement] as soon as possible after Thursday night. I've got other arrangements and people to organise." He apparently means a meeting of his party's board to ratify a decision. Mr Peters also said the timing depended on the other parties as well, but didn't explain what he meant by that. If he decides to back Labour and the Greens, an issue could be ratification of the deal by a special meeting of Green Party members, which is one of that party's requirements. Peters is still insisting that the decision is not his alone to make. "Winston Peters is not going to make a decision - it is NZ First and it's board," he said. "I can't speak for the party because I haven't had a chance to speak to them." 2017-10-11T00:17:44.000Z Winston's decision to be delayed further https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/winstons-decision-to-be-delayed-further/ https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/vote2017/winstons-decision-to-be-delayed-further/ There'll be no Government announced on Thursday. Winston Peters told Newstalkzb's political editor Barry Soper he still expects the talks to be wrapped up tomorrow but there'll be no immediate announcement. "Our target is to complete all these discussions by Thursday night, nothings changed." When questioned by Soaper whether he will be making an announcement on Thursday , Peters replied "not on Thursday night, no." When asked when he would be making the announcement Peters said they still have "a few logistical things to workout but as soon as possible after that." Two coalition meetings with National and Labour are set down for today after New Zealand First met into the night with National. Peters and his team will again meet with National this morning and Labour this afternoon with a decision scheduled sometime tomorrow. Mr Peters said it's tough but he can't avoid his responsibilities. "We've got to make a decision. We're hardened to this, this party has been around a long time - in our 25th year. So we fully expect it. So we just want to make sure the people out there and the media understand as well." 2017-10-10T17:33:48.000Z