NZ First soldier on through power talks
"These talks are about a change in the way this country is run.''
NZ First leader Winston Peters
Environment, climate change and foreign ownership were on the agenda for the second day of coalition negotiations.
After a long day of talks yesterday, which involved two meetings with National and one lengthy meeting with Labour, NZ First leader Winston Peters said the work would continue into the night.
Peters and his negotiations team finished up their second meeting with National about 6pm.
He refused to reveal the nature of that work and who would be involved.
While the parties were remaining tight-lipped about what had been discussed during the first two days of negotiations, the shape of coalition talks was slowly emerg- ing, with signs the environment, climate change and foreign ownership were on the agenda.
Peters confirmed foreign ownership was playing a part in the government-formation talks with Labour and National.
The addition of Labour’s foreign affairs and environment spokesman David Parker to the Labour team that headed into talks at 12.30pm indicated the focus would be on the environment and climate change as well as the contentious ‘‘water levy’’ that he has championed.
That followed a two-hour meet- ing between Labour and the Greens yesterday morning, with more meetings between those two parties expected later.
A second round of talks for the day between NZ First and Labour set down for 6pm were cancelled after the afternoon talks went longer than expected.
Peters met National again at 4pm – with new MP Shane Jones joining the negotiating team –- and Peters said he would meet Labour at 9.30am today as the parties aimed to complete talks to meet Peters’ self-imposed Thursday deadline.
Peters said the negotiations were going fine and were focused ‘‘totally on policy’’. But he would not confirm that Parker’s presence in the Labour team meant environment and water were on the agenda.
National Party leader Bill English said the day’s talks were ‘‘constructive’’.
On his way home last night, he said they were making progress.
Peters said these talks were more like the ones in 1996 than the 2005 talks because of ‘‘circumstances’’.
In 1996, Peters held the balance of power and negotiated a detailed policy document before forming a coalition with National.
In 2005, the agreement with Labour was less detailed.
‘‘We have got two days to go yet before we know the outcome,’’ Peters said.
‘Positive session’
Labour Party leader Jacinda Ardern said it had been ‘‘another really positive session’’ with NZ First.
‘‘We are now in a position where we are discussing quite a bit of policy details which moves us quite a bit further along in these negotiations,’’ she said.
Labour would meet with the Green Party again today.
Earlier after a two-hour meeting with National, Peters said he was talking about similar policy areas with both parties.
‘‘These talks are about a change in the way this country is run both economically and socially,’’ Peters said.
Asked if foreign ownership had come up, Peters said it had.
Greens ‘confident’
Labour’s coalition talks with the Green Party yesterday wrapped up after two hours with Green coleader James Shaw describing them as ‘‘warm and constructive’’.
‘‘We are talking about forming a government,’’ he said, but he would not say anything about details including whether the Greens would talk directly to NZ First.
‘‘Everything that involves putting together a government. It’s broad ranging and covers all the bases.
‘‘And it’s going very well.’’ He said he was confident a Labour-led government was on the way.
Labour needs the support of both NZ First and the Greens to secure a majority in the 120-seat Parliament.
National would just need the support of NZ First.