Parties hope to have deal by Friday

WELLINGTON: The Greens’ coleaders say they will emerge from governmentforming talks with the Labour Party by Friday with a deal in hand.

However, it will be up to a group of highranking Green Party members to decide whether the deal offered by Labour is good enough.

If not, and the membership votes it down, the Greens will be sitting in the Opposition benches for the next three years.

Green Party coleaders James Shaw and Marama Davidson completed the second round of formal negotiations with Labour last night.

Ms Davidson said the talks were progressing well, but neither she nor Mr Shaw would outline what was discussed during the 90minute meeting.

“We are working hard and we are moving forward,” she said.

She did reveal the pair were hoping to have an agreement by Friday — a sentiment echoed by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

But that did not mean the process would be finished.

After formal talks concluded, the Green coleaders would take the deal back to a committee of highranking delegates to vote on whether to accept it.

If more than 75% of those on the conference call supported the deal, it would be formally adopted.

If not, Mr Shaw confirmed the Greens would not go back to the negotiating table with Labour.

Rather, they would move into Opposition and Labour would govern alone.

“It’s a straight up and down vote. We would either join the Government or we would not join the Government,” Mr Shaw said.

It was unclear how long it would take the delegates to vote, but Ms Davidson said that in 2017, the last time the leadership took a deal to their members, it took a matter of hours.

A spokesman for Ms Ardern said it was also her intention to wrap up talks by the end of this week.

This meant Ms Ardern would announce her Cabinet early next week.

Mr Shaw said both sides were happy with the way the talks were progressing.

He noted the fastest a government had been formed under MMP was 12 working days.

“We’re moving as fast as we can.”

Labour will hold a caucus meeting today, by Zoom rather than in person.

After last week farewelling MPs who had lost their seats, National MPs will have a caucus meeting today.

Leader Judith Collins will then meet MPs individually to discuss portfolio options.

She will not announce her new lineup until after Ms Ardern announces her Cabinet.

A confidence vote in Ms Collins as leader will not take place until the caucus meeting after the final election results are released.

She is not expected to be challenged as leader. — The New Zealand Herald