While the whole nation tries to dissect the inner thoughts of Winston Peters, and what is causing his endless delay in announcing coalition partners, 1 NEWS' Katie Bradford offered a novel explanation - maybe the deals he's bargained for with both National and Labour are identical.
Speaking on Facebook Live today as Winston Peters left his New Zealand First caucus to get Vietnamese for lunch, Bradford said maybe the New Zealand First leader is actually spoilt for choice.
The decision is actually now simply one of personalities, not policy.
"I can't help thinking what he's got in front of him is the exact same agreements, that he's managed to get the same policies, or almost identical policies, same portfolios out of both parties and now he can't decide what side he wants to go with, who he thinks the public want him to go with," Bradford said.
Peters says he is meeting with his caucus to go over the "latest information" this afternoon, as negotiations are ongoing.
However, 1 NEWS' political editor Corin Dann was a little more circumspect.
"Yeah, well he talked about the pros and cons, when we spoke to him just briefly, of either side. Look I don't know," Dann said.
Dann didn't agree with Bradford's suggestion the delay may be due to New Zealand First's caucus being divided over the decision.
"Nope, no, no, no, no. It's Winston Peters, I am sorry. I know Winston Peters is really fired up about this but at the end of the day he is the one who is, while he might not make the entire call, it is pretty much his influence who decides this."
Mr Peters is heading into more talks with his caucus this afternoon and says there’s "a few hours to go yet."
Just after midday today, Winston Peters emerged from a caucus meeting with the news he still hasn't got a decision to give to New Zealand on which party he'll back to form a government with.
With an announcement expected later today, Mr Peters has yet to confirm that will definitely happen, though he did say "we hope to complete it".
"It is seriously difficult, because there are pros and cons for every part of this decision we've got make," he told reporters as he took a break to eat "breakfast", even though it was about 1pm.
"We've got one more chance to evaluate what it means both ways," he said.
Mr Peters went on to say that "we'll go back and we've got a few hours to go, but we hope to complete it".
His comments come on a day when millions of voters expected to be told whether NZ First would back a coalition with National or a Labour Party supported by the Greens.
SHARE ME