ACT would work with Te Pāti Māori if it was "absolutely necessary" to form a coalition government at the next election.
1News political editor Jessica Mutch McKay has said Te Pāti Māori could be the power broker and get to decide who gets in at the next election in the wake of the latest 1News Kantar Public Poll.
It revealed National has overtaken Labour in party support for the first time since the pandemic, with Labour dipping to its lowest result since 2017.
The poll also saw Christopher Luxon reach the highest preferred PM result for a National leader since Sir Bill English, while Jacinda Ardern, still out in front, has dropped once again to her lowest preferred PM result since before she became prime minister.
It also showed the Greens are steady on 9%, with ACT dropping to 8% and Te Pāti Māori steady on 2%.
On these numbers, should National and ACT come together with 59 seats, and Labour and the Greens with 58 seats, the three Te Pāti Māori seats would hold the balance of power.
ACT leader David Seymour told 1News the party would work with Te Pāti Māori if that is what it took to form a government.
"So yes if absolutely necessary, but let's be clear on how much damage that would do to New Zealand."
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi told 1News of Friday: "We will not align with any party that is not committed to constitutional transformation or create a Tiriti-centric Aotearoa."
These were similar comments to what he told 1News on Thursday.
He said should his party be in a position to choose the next government, they would have to ensure the party "that we go with have to ensure they align with our policies and our values. Unfortunately in the past, National have not in the last leadership with Judith Collins".
"I haven't seen much change since Christopher Luxon."
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