New Zealanders waiting with bated breath to find out who's going to be governing them for the next three years probably won't know on Thursday after all.
The man holding the trump card, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters, says he'll be in a position to make a decision on Thursday but it won't be announced then.
Political Reporter Andrea Vance sums up the latest in the bids to form a government.
He told reporters staking out coalition talks at Parliament today he could give them his timetable if they sign up as New Zealand First members.
Asked by 1 NEWS political reporter Andrea Vance when will he go to his party's board and caucus and when will we have an answer, Mr Peters replied: "Yes, I told you."
"So you're going to tell us Thursday which way you're going to go?" Vance tried to confirm.
"No, I didn't say that. I said we'll be in a position to make a decision on Thursday. That's what I said from the word go," Mr Peters replied.
Vance pressed on, asking will he take it to his board on Thursday?
"Look, can I handle the New Zealand First political side of it, and the board will handle their side of it, and we'll co-ordinate that together and we'll let you know when it's relevant for you to know what the outcome is," the NZ First leader responded.
Could he give us the timetable?
"Look, I can give you an idea if you sign up to New Zealand First, become a member," he said.
The NZ First leader says he made it 'very clear we were to speak to the National Party and the Labour Party'.
"You'll be privy to business that's part of the party's operation like very other political. Otherwise I can't do that because it's a breach of the party's rules."
Reporters kept firing questions at the NZ First leader as he and his negotiating team got into a lift and the doors closed, but answers were not forthcoming.
So Kiwis are still none the wiser as to whether they'll be ruled by a National-New Zealand First coalition or a Labour-Greens-NZ First one, 17 days after election day.
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