'Still outstanding issues' - English

Outstanding issues, including Cabinet positions, mean NZ First board not debating completed agreements Monday, PM English says; Govt formation could come later this week

16th Oct 17, 9:01am by Alex Tarrant

Government formation may not come until later this week, Prime Minister Bill English said Monday morning, as Kingmaker New Zealand First readied for an all-day board and caucus meeting to discuss which way to go.

Meanwhile, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said at 4:30pm Monday that internal talks between his board and caucus on post-election negotiations were ongoing, and that the meeting would likely run for several more hours. The meeting began at 10:30am.

Speaking on several media Monday morning, English said there were still outstanding issues to be decided on, meaning Winston Peters' board was not choosing between completed agreements. Issues include Ministerial positions.

"There's still more discussion to be had about the nature of a coalition or other form of confidence and supply agreement - those discussions are yet to be had," English said on three's AM show.

He told Radio NZ that discussions had taken place over the weekend between National and NZ First to clarify certain policy positions.

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27 Comments

by steven | 16th Oct 17, 9:26am 1508099193

or BE is a dead man walking.

by nymad | 16th Oct 17, 9:34am 1508099668

Yea. What a weird thing to say on record if the negotiations weren't over yet.
If there is one thing WP doesn't like, it's telling tales out of school. Saying something like this which could only embarrass WP further isn't something you do when you think you have still got a shot.

by two otherguys | 16th Oct 17, 1:20pm 1508113252

The Kiss of Death

by ex socialist | 16th Oct 17, 9:51am 1508100670

The reality is that WP is an egotist who is orchestrating a media event with him at centre stage. One might have assumed that you could have had both parties appearing to announce an agreement. However, what I suspect will happen is that WP will want a press conference where he 'announces' the new Government.

by flebus | 16th Oct 17, 10:31am 1508103070

"I suspect will happen is that WP will want a press conference where he 'announces' the new Government"

I don't find anything particularly problematic with that. Seems like that sort of thing warrants a press conference.

by O4 normal | 16th Oct 17, 10:01am 1508101281

English is covering himself for when he loses . Blame blame blame wasn’t me. Scary what will happen in the leadership rolls with national when they lose . I’m expecting alsorts of sneaky practices coming out that national don’t tell the public. Fun times ahead

by Smalltown | 16th Oct 17, 10:32am 1508103146

Headline - "PM English says..."

Is he actually PM or just some wannabe billshitter at the moment ?

by Chris-M | 16th Oct 17, 4:50pm 1508125800

Maybe further debate between National and NZ First is not particularly relevant any more?
The stream of press coverage coming out of Auckland (particularly the Herald) at the moment is interesting, the theme seems to be anger and annoyance that MMP has put NZ First in the position of deciding who will be the next government. They completely ignore the fact that the balance of the voters that did not want National. Furthermore the NZ First voters wishes are irrelevant and they are morally obligated to support National. What they are really saying is that they are annoyed that there is a good chance that the grouping of minority parties will form the government and what they really want is a first past the post result i.e. a national government. I wonder if the boot was on the foot if they would be arguing the same way? I think that NZ First would be crazy to trust National. Look at the fate of all their past coalition partners.
United Futures party - gone
Maori Party - gone
Act Party - practically gone

The theme seems to be that coalition partners are just there to enable National holding power and not play any meaningful roll in a coalition government i.e. their attitude is really more first past the post oriented and any coalition partners voters end up feeling betrayed. By nature the whole ethos of the left is more communal and consultative, so better suited to the coalition arrangements that MMP delivers.

by RickStrauss | 16th Oct 17, 3:38pm 1508121485

Does seem to be a case of MMP being fine and dandy when one's own team wins (e.g. cup of tea in Epsom) but deplorable and unwanted when the other team is winning. And we don't even know for sure which team will be in charge.

by Wildcard | 17th Oct 17, 3:39pm 1508207955

The thing is out 8 NZ MMP elections, only two (1996 and 1999) could actually be classed as MMP outcomes. The rest are just FPP with National and Labour getting 70%+ of the votes between them and governing somewhat as a majority.

MMP in NZ is still broken, and we still have a left vs right FPP mentality.

by Chairman Moa | 16th Oct 17, 11:30am 1508106640

So is he going to sing Willie Nelson's "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" or Split Enz's "I See Red"?????

by Houses Overpriced | 16th Oct 17, 11:35am 1508106907

Its too early to say how Winnie will go...

But if Winnie rejects National, they have themselves to kick!!
- Claimed that there is No Housing crisis
- Record immigration while ignoring infrastructure, schooling, hospitals
- Ignored poverty
- catalyst to SPECULATORS

by the Joneses | 16th Oct 17, 12:58pm 1508111928

- created a governmental culture which resulted in three different ministers being briefed on Winston Peters private superannuation details under no surprises rule... the details of which were then leaked to the media...

by Houses Overpriced | 16th Oct 17, 1:11pm 1508112717

lol, forgot about that saga

by Smalltown | 16th Oct 17, 1:45pm 1508114751

by Smalltown | 16th Oct 17, 1:48pm 1508114924

by Smalltown | 16th Oct 17, 1:48pm 1508114904

Yes - their lying became a continual theme.

poor ol Toddy was only doing what was in his DNA and shown by his S Clutha mentor.

by pankers | 16th Oct 17, 5:09pm 1508126996

Will Winnie get on with James Shaw? how long will the Labour/Greens/Winston First get on?

by imhenry | 17th Oct 17, 7:00am 1508176837

I give it 100 Days. then the country will be back to the polls

by pankers | 16th Oct 17, 9:41pm 1508143318

now seeing Jassie Arden and Winnie and Billie , at least Bill has explained where things are at , what a circus the public should of know what's going on with but secret service is happening .
I believe this process has been smokes and mirrors , we should all be disgraced whether you are Greens/ Labour / National supporter we are been held to ransom by someone that should be retired by now , keeping people out of employment for the young .
What a shambles as 92.5% of us didn't vote for Winnie, HOW FAIR IS THAT

by swapacrate | 17th Oct 17, 12:08am 1508152095

Personally I dont care, we have had 9 years of high immigration, underfunding of infrastructure, high property prices, high homelessness, traffic problems, hospital problems... the list goes on.

Whats a few days to get some things nailed down and hopefully improve the country. Maybe its the quick fix hit like immigration that has gotten us into this mess.

Maybe we need short term pain for long term gain.

by imhenry | 17th Oct 17, 7:03am 1508177037

You have got a very short memory, who dealt with the Earthquakes, who got the country back on its feet financially. think back over the last nine years, not just what a wishie washie media keep delivering

by PocketAces | 17th Oct 17, 7:26am 1508178396

That would be the China, who had gotten a taste for dairy products, in the main, so on our part there dumb luck and the Labour govt's fta with China. Beyond that, any idiot could have opened the immigration door wide but not kept infrastructure tracking alongside it, all the while allowing foreign buyers absolute carte blanche in our real estate market, even while saying "We do not want to become tenants in our own land". Add to that squeezing to just about death, as we are finding out now, health, education, police etc.
Yep, clever little clogs, they - NOT.

by ian64 | 17th Oct 17, 9:36am 1508186160

I tell you who dealt with the Earthquakes etc: everyday Nzers who got shat on by govt and insurances, accepted overcrowding, worse work conditions, ballooning house prices and living costs. Govt did FA. Increased immigration (that I agree with) but without any long term plan, just short term quick buck thinking.
Some dealt better than others, seeing the ever increasing suicide rate.

by speckles | 17th Oct 17, 4:42pm 1508211751

dealt with the earth quakes..it came down to the local people..government just got in the way...talk about clueless.

by SmoKey | 17th Oct 17, 10:42am 1508190148

The issues will be outstanding between the coalition partners even after the formation of the government, well into the next 3 years. That is the nature of the beast, isn't it. Just agree on the few main things and get things going, guys.

by linklater01 | 17th Oct 17, 3:11pm 1508206289

I neither like nor trust Peters,but I really really want to see National booted out-they don't deserve another term.I hope he goes with labour,though I wouldn't put any money on the coalition lasting a full electoral term.