Labour ‘no lapdog’ of Peters during talks

Labour leader Jacinda Ardern has hit back at the idea the major parties have been Winston Peters’ ‘‘lapdogs’’ through negotiations.

Ardern said she wanted to push back on the idea that the NZ First leader held all the power in the coalition negotiation process.

‘‘We have a lot of power in our hands. It’s up to us to decide what is incredibly important for us to deliver in government.’’

Ardern said there was give and take in any negotiation.

‘‘I simply make that point to say we’ve got a role to play in this as well.

‘‘Concessions are only made where we’re willing to make them,’’ she said.

‘‘There is no major party that’s a victim in these talks.’’

The comments come after a week of Ardern and National leader Bill English saying very little in regards to coalition negotiations.

While Peters had been fronting the media to provide regular, substantial statements, Ardern and English had only made brief comments, with Ardern saying she respected the process.

The unwillingness to talk was seen by many as a fear of making a wrong move that could see Peters choose the other party.

The five days of official coalition negotiations wrapped up last Thursday. The NZ First board convened again yesterday morning, after a full day of discussions on Monday.

The board had to sign off any coalition agreement, as did the boards of the other parties involved, before the new government was made official.

However, the board was not seeing all the final details of what a government would look like.

Ardern said ministerial portfolios had not been discussed with NZ First. English said the same was true for National.

All talks to date had been focused on policy. Both major parties were in the same position, she said.

‘‘That should at least be heartening to people, that in these discussions parties have been focused on the ideas that they want to deliver to New Zealanders rather than simply the positions that they might get out of an arrangement.’’

Ardern refused to speculate on a timeline but said she was feeling confident. ‘‘We have every reason to feel confident; at least as confident as any other party involved.’’

She also set the record straight about her so-called wink.

On Friday, she posted a video to give Kiwis a run-down of how the week of discussions had gone.

Some people caught a small wink from Ardern, and thought it could be a signal that Labour would be part of the next government.

However, Ardern said it was merely a tic – something passed down from her father.

Peters has said the new government would be announced by the end of the week, at the latest.