NZ First leader Winston Peters has denied that he had snubbed a meeting with National leader Christopher Luxon and ACT leader David Seymour in Wellington earlier this week.
Peters said that Tuesday's supposed meeting in the capital with Luxon and Seymour was not on the agenda.
He said he was meeting with an overseas foreign minister on Tuesday who was coming from the Pacific Islands Forum and on his way to APEC in San Francisco.
"I had to cancel five flights to fit in with him. So I was never going to Wellington as a consequence and both Mr Seymour and Mr Luxon know that.
"I don't know why I'm hearing all this nonsense."
Peters said a supposed meeting with Christopher Luxon and David Seymour in the capital earlier this week wasn’t on the agenda. (Source: 1News)
He also said that work is happening "night and day" to form a new government as coalition negotiations continue.
Peters told media at Auckland's Cordis Hotel that until the final outcome is reached, it would be "premature, rash and irresponsible" to make any other comment.
He could not say how far away an outcome would be, as it was "in the hands of others as well".
"We going to try and resolve this with the greatest haste possible," he said, adding that it was still well short of the length of time the last German government took to form at around 143 days.
As he walked into the hotel he was asked what issues the leaders were working through. "Take a wild guess," he replied.
Earlier today National's deputy leader Nicola Willis said coalition negotiations were "in the final stages".
"We need to make sure that all three agreements line up so we are literally going through clause by clause, sentence by sentence, is everybody happy."
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