Coalition talks not as bad as Germany, says MP Todd Muller

NZ First party leader Winston Peters holds the key. Photo/File

Tauranga residents frustrated with the length of time it was taking to form a coalition government should consider how MMP works in Germany.

The German experience was cited by Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller who suspected that a new government for New Zealand would probably be formed by the end of this week.

He said Germans who voted on the same day as New Zealanders had been told not to expect a new government before Christmas.

Mr Muller said that people who he chatted with on the street were experiencing a "degree of frustration" with the time it was taking to pull together a new government.

"There is a view that Winston needs to jump one way or the other."

He said everyone wanted a conclusion but in the context of an MMP election, what was happening in New Zealand this year was typical of what happened overseas. It normally took a number of weeks for governments to form.

New Zealand's elections of 2008 to 2014 had been relatively unusual for MMP in that a clear group had emerged on election night to form a government.

"It normally takes a bit of time to pull it together."

The interesting perspective for Mr Muller was that only one party, New Zealand First, was having conversations with the other parties. The Greens had chosen not to participate because they were "hard wired" to Labour, he said.

In other MMP jurisdictions, all parties reserved the right to talk to all parties. "Here in New Zealand it has not worked like that."

Although MMP was frustrating at times, that was the way it was designed to work. Parties had to talk to each other to reach that magic number, which in New Zealand's case was 61 seats, he said.

One of Tauranga's new Labour MPs, list member Jan Tinetti, said her focus had not been on the coalition talks.

"My focus has been on learning my new role as a member of Parliament. That has been my absolute focus."

Ms Tinetti said she had the utmost faith in the team that was leading Labour's post-election talks, leaving her to become immersed in the MP induction process.

"It has been the most fantastic opportunity and challenge. I am finding it absolutely stimulating. Every day I am getting more confident in my role."

Tauranga's other new Labour list MP Angie Warren-Clark was unable to comment on the length of the coalition talks, saying they had been explicitly told not to make any comment about the talks because they were very sensitive.

She said she had also been busy learning the ropes of being an MP. "It is a completely different world, in a good way."

Tauranga-based NZ First list MP Clayton Mitchell could not be reached for comment.