Peters, Seymour meet as coalition talks continue

NZ First leader Winston Peters and ACT Party leader David Seymour have met this afternoon, as coalition talks continue.

It's understood the meeting went on for around 15 minutes.

Earlier this afternoon, National Party leader Christopher Luxon said the talks are "progressing well".

ACT leader David Seymour said they are "overall very positive".

On a brief walk from his Wellington apartment to Parliament this afternoon, Luxon said the parties were "continuing to work away at a few issues" and "making progress".

Asked what the issues he referred to were, Luxon said he would not get into "any of that".

He said he couldn't say how far away a signed deal would be.

"We're working as hard as we possibly can. There's really good faith and good will with all the political leaders that are there, and we're making good progress."

He said he would like to go to Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) but his focus was on forming a "strong, stable government".

"That's our number one priority."

The three parties had not come together for a meeting yet but Luxon said it would happen "shortly".

He wouldn't say when "shortly" would be.

"What we're doing is progressing the relationships, the arrangements, we've had very productive conversations with all parties. We're all committed to making sure we get through as soon as we possibly can."

He said it hadn't been a full week since the official vote count.

"We had 20 per cent of our vote not counted until three weeks after election night, which is an issue, I think, in itself, so we can speed it up in the future."

Earlier, NZ First leader Winston Peters also expressed discontent with the time it had taken for the official vote to be counted.

ACT leader David Seymour told 1News the talks were "overall, very positive".

"We've got three parties that know they need to work together ... and are gradually getting closer together so we can offer a stable political platform."

He said it was inevitable the three parties would get in a room together and he hoped it would happen "as soon as possible".

"Three years is over 1000 days - that's a lot of being in the same room.

"Our door is open, we don't have any commitments to meet from Mr Peters, but we welcome them because ultimately the people have asked us to do that."

Asked what he thought about Peters not returning his text messages, Seymour said he was not going to "pass judgment on character".

"But clearly when someone reaches out an olive branch to you that's an invitation to grasp it for the good of the country."

He earlier said he would be "very happy" to meet with Peters today.

"It's actually not only in the interest of New Zealand, but each party to have strong relationships."

He said it had been a long wait to form a government after the "climax" of the election, but the government would be for at least three years and it was critical to achieve "good agreements" and a stable political platform to make policy changes.

Asked whether he would be a minister, Seymour said roles had not yet been allocated but he would "certainly hope to be able to take a role of leadership in government".

He said that was so the policies people supported ACT for "end up counting".

"I've always believed that being a minister is good for policy improvements but only if you have the commitment to do the right policies."

He said a referendum on the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi remained "an important thing for New Zealand to do".

"We continue to argue for it in negotiations with our partners. We believe it's absolutely critical that happens."

Luxon has previously said such a referendum would be "divisive and unhelpful".

He said an agreement by Sunday was "quite possible".

"I'm not particularly religious but I've always thought Sunday's a great day."