Coalition — ‘Right now it’s 5050’

WELLINGTON: Both National and Labour put their chances of forming a coalition government with New Zealand First at 5050.

Their leaders are waiting for a call from Winston Peters so talks can start, but so far he has not picked up the phone.

Labour deputy leader Kelvin Davis confirmed yesterday there had not been any contact.

‘‘Right now it’s 5050,’’ he said when he was asked what the chances were of Labour forming a government.

‘‘No conversations have started yet.’’ National deputy leader Paula Bennett said yesterday she could not pick it.

‘‘On Saturday night I was on the euphoria of 58 seats and here we go — but now we’ve got some work to do . . . It could go any way.

‘‘Until you’ve had those conversations you can’t pick it.’’

Ms Bennett floated the possibility of National and the Greens talking to each other about forming a government.

They could have a majority with the Greens’ seven seats.

‘‘Why not? You want to talk to everybody,’’ she said.

‘‘But I don’t think they are up for it. They say that’s not what they stood [campaigned] on.’’

Greens leader James Shaw has all but ruled out talking to National.

Mr Peters has said there cannot be any serious negotiations until special votes have been counted and the results released on October 7. — NZN