Winston 'is not putting a completed agreement to the NZ First discussions', says Bill English

October 16, 2017

The National leader says Winston Peters will not be putting a 'completed agreement' to the NZ First board.

A completed agreement will not be presented to the highly anticipated NZ First board meeting today, nor has a proposition been completed to take to the National Party, says Bill English.

On TVNZ1's Breakfast this morning, English said he does not "yet have a proposition to put to our caucus or board". 

With the public still waiting for a decision, National's Paula Bennett was giving little away on how things may go.

"I wouldn't want there to be the impression there's some finalised agreement," the National Party leader said.

"While we've discussed a lot of policy, there are still issues around the type of governing arrangement, ministerial positions, that have yet to be discussed."

"Mr Peters is not putting a completed agreement to the NZ First discussions today."

Peters' NZ First party will this morning start a meeting that will decide whether National or Labour leads the next government. 

TVNZ1's Breakfast host Hilary Barry compared the discussions with Winston Peters to a first date, and asked what the vibe was.

English said he hoped a decision on the government would be made "sooner rather than later".

"So we would expect to be hearing from NZ First later today or tomorrow about what the next steps are," he said.

English said over the weekend there were exchanges regarding policy and "next steps" via letters and phone calls. 

"Some of the substantive issues that are critical to the formation to a government haven't yet been yet been covered," he said.

He said it was important the negotiations "keep moving along because we are now getting to three weeks since the election."

"It is time we got to a point of some clarity about government."

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