Winston Peters has said "mutual" policies between NZ First and the party he chooses could emerge from the negotiations as he took a verbal swipe at a reporter over previous reports of a possible Labour-Green government.
He was asked today after his meeting with National if he was having valuable discussions with each major party.
The NZ First leader says he made it 'very clear we were to speak to the National Party and the Labour Party'. (Source: Other)
"Yes we are," he abruptly answered.
"We're making huge progress finding out what we agree on, what we don’t agree on, what we can still negotiate on," he said in reference to Labour and National.
"At the end you might not have their decision, or our decision as the policy, but a mutual policy."
He said he was closer to coming to a decision but would "worry about the process tomorrow, tomorrow".
"We have a plan and we’re sticking to it."
James Shaw says Jacinda "seems to be doing a good job" of negotiations with Winston Peters. (Source: Other)
Mr Peters was asked about the Green Party having a say in a deal with NZ First and Labour, to which he said to the reporter, "Please don't ask me to explain your gross misrepresentation of the political situation in this country for the last three years", in reference to previous reports of a potential Labour-Green government.
Mr Peters was asked if NZ First supporters who voted for a decrease in immigrants would be happy or disappointed.
Mr Peters smiled, and said, "is this an attempt to entrap me?"
"I'm sworn to keep these discussions confidential until they're over."
Mr Peters was also asked if a statement by NZ First shortly after the election about economic uncertainty pointed at their policy on government-backed deposit guarantees for majority New Zealand-owned banks.
He said despite it not being "any part of discussions at the moment", "we still need to consider it".
Mr Peters went on to say he didn't say he "was or wasn't" discussing the scheme in negotiations.
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