National's Chris Luxon finally confirmed that he's open to collaborating with New Zealand First, if necessary.

Recent polls show a three-way coalition between parties will be needed, regardless of who wins the election- meaning National and ACT will need the extra support from Winston Peters.

National's former Deputy Leader, Paula Bennett, says it would have looked arrogant to prospective voters if National ruled out NZ First altogether. 

"Potentially over 5 percent of the country say they want him, they know that that's the threshold, to then point-blankly rule it out- you'd have to think."

LISTEN ABOVE

• Nicola Willis: ‘I don’t want to go into Government with NZ First’
• NZ First leader Winston Peters 'backs to the hilt' candidate whose quote was used in debate
• National-Act would need NZ First; Luxon surges ahead in preferred PM- poll
• Winston Peters doesn't feel 'slighted' at prospect of being Luxon's second choice