Labour, Greens all talk, no details

WELLINGTON: The Greens and Labour are both talking up how well their postelection talks are going but neither will reveal any details about what is being discussed.

Key members of both sides met yesterday in Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s office to talk about the formation of a government.

In a Facebook Live video last night, Ms Ardern said she had met members of the Green Party to chat about ‘‘potential areas of cooperation, or ways we could possibly cooperate’’ with the party.

‘‘I’ll keep those talks obviously [secret] . . .

‘‘I won’t say anything more, other than the fact that they were constructive and we’ll be doing a bit of that next week as well,’’ she said.

Greens coleader Marama Davidson said the talks were ‘‘fruitful’’.

But that was about where the specifics ended.

Speaking after the hourlong meeting, Ms Davidson and her coleader James Shaw were at pains to point out they would not be talking about details until the meetings were over.

This was something they made clear from the outset. The process was similar to the postelection talks in 2017.

Ms Davidson did say the Greens’ starting point was around ‘‘what we can do to make changes in the areas of protecting climate, our environment and addressing inequality’’.

This covers virtually the entire Green Party election platform.

Although neither coleaders would reveal much, Act New Zealand leader David Seymour was happy to speculate as to what was going on behind closed doors.

He said the Greens would be ‘‘far too nervous to say goodbye to their staff and their ministerial salaries’’.

In the last government, the Greens provided supply and confidence to the LabourNew Zealand First coalition.

That meant the Greens were given a couple of ministers outside Cabinet.

Mr Seymour said Labour would require people such as Mr Shaw around the Cabinet table, given the party’s ‘‘skills shortage’’.

‘‘If I was the Green Party, I would resist the urge to be hugged to death by Labour, but it looks like they are going to fall for it.’’

Mr Shaw later acknowledged several Green MPs had experience.

He was minister of climate change, Julie Anne Genter was women’s minister and Eugenie Sage was conservation minister

Mr Shaw said using this type of experience was ‘‘part of the conversation’’.

Although being careful not to say much, Ms Davidson did let one thing slip.

She said the Greens were looking to provide ‘‘support’’ to Labour.

‘‘The whole point for us is how we can support, where can we seek further action for climate, the environment and our communities.’’

This could mean that any work towards a coalition agreement — where the two parties would govern together — is off the table.

Ms Davidson would not confirm, or deny, this was the case.

Labour’s 49% means the party gets to bring 64 MPs into Parliament, an outright majority in the House of 120.

This means it did not need the help of any other parties to form a government.

Speaking on Sunday, Ms Ardern stressed as much.

‘‘We do have a very clear mandate but . . . I’m interested in areas of cooperation where we can use the strengths that exist in their team.’’

The teams will talk again on Tuesday. — The New Zealand Herald