New Zealand First’s leader, Winston Peters, has recently opened up about his expectations related to the post-election negotiations following the final election results. The official tally evidently shows that the National and the Act parties will require the support of his party to establish a government.
When queried about his plans, Peters conversed with Sean Plunket on the Platform, expressing his intent to proceed confidently, handle the negotiations promptly, and resolve them as swiftly as possible. Nevertheless, Peters insisted on the importance of approaching these matters judiciously, warning against rashness.
During the electoral campaign, Peters refrained from rejecting the Act party and David Seymour outright. He emphasised the need for compromise stating, “We can’t all get what we want; we need to collaborate to facilitate a much more efficient government.”
Christopher Luxon, National’s leader, purportedly reached out to Peters at precisely two minutes past 2pm today. Although Luxon confirmed having spoken to both Peters and Seymour post 2pm, he refrained from disclosing the order of these conversations.
Peters vociferously criticised the incumbent administration’s policies, lamenting the enforcement of un-elected and un-campaigned changes. He emphasized the importance of setting aside differences, describing it as a political necessity. Peters suggested that engaging in negotiations collectively, rather than individually would yield more productive results.
Forecasting a rapid process, Peters expressed optimism that negotiations were likely to progress faster than anticipated. “This is not my first negotiation. I’m only negotiating with one side, which allows for faster resolution,” Peters explained. He further suggested that chiefs of staff should lead the negotiations, citing the logistical difficulties of managing other responsibilities.
The final election results have effectively wiped out National’s one-seat majority with Act, positioning Peters and NZ First as potential kingmakers. Following the final tally, Prime Minister-elect Luxon announced his intention to negotiate with Peters, to create a strong and stable government.
Luxon committed to spending the weekend on coalition negotiations. However, he did not guarantee their completion prior to the Apec gathering taking place in the US on November 11. David Seymour echoed a similar sentiment, optimistically predicting the formation of a new government within a week.
