Ardern and Davis to lead Labour’s coalition talks

Labour will spend the next two days poring over its potential coalition partner’s policies to prepare for upcoming negotiations.

Speaking to media this afternoon, leader Jacinda Ardern revealed she and her deputy leader Kelvin Davis will be leading the coalition negotiations.

She would not confirm anyone else who would be part of that team but did say the team negotiating with the Greens would “not necessarily” be the same team talking to NZ First.  

Ms Ardern says contact has been made with NZ First but it was on a chief of staff level and she has yet to talk to leader Winston Peters.

Mr Peters is due back in Parliament tomorrow where he will be talking to his caucus.

In terms of accommodating the cost of any of NZ First’s policies, Ms Ardern confirmed any government she led would stick to the budget responsibility rules that Labour and the Greens agreed to earlier this year.

“As part of any negotiation, we will be making sure that we cost everything we’re talking about.

“We will be adding that filter over our negotiations because that’s what we have signed up to.”

This morning, before National’s caucus meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett told reporters she was prepared to step aside from the role if it meant getting Mr Peters to side with National.

She says she’s wouldn’t be “too bothered” if she had to give up being deputy prime minister as she would still be the deputy leader of the National Party and “that’s the main thing, really.”

Asked the same question this afternoon, Labour’s Kelvin Davis says he would be open to the same arrangement.

“My priority is to make sure Jacinda Ardern is the prime minister and that’s my main focus. But if it has to be, it has to be,” he says about Mr Peters being the deputy prime minister.

‘English upbeat’
Prime Minister Bill English appeared upbeat about the chances of Mr Peters deciding to side with his party to form the next government.

“I have known Winston Peters a long time,” Mr English said this morning.

“In fact for 27 years we have been in Parliament together, longer than pretty much anyone else in the building.”

Although there has been some “political pushing and shoving” over the years, Mr English says he has “always been clear that I understand his role given the election result.

“He’s an experienced politician and he takes his role very seriously – we would expect to be able to begin negotiations on that basis.”

Meanwhile, the Green party has revealed its coalition negotiation team – co-leader James Shaw and MP Eugenie Sage, acting chief of staff Tory Whanau, party co-convenor Debs Martin and party campaign committee member Andrew Campbell.

The negotiation team will be supported by a reference group, which will include former Greens co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons and other senior figures in the Green Party.