Donald tells business to look after staff, environment

After last night's cliffhanger, the Greens loom as a key element to a Labour-led government - and only time will tell whether they are able to wield the influence they want.

"We're going to make it tougher for businesses that don't care about the environment or their staff, but we're very friendly towards businesses that do," the newly-powerful Greens co-leader told the Herald On Sunday before the election result was fully known.

Their willingness to deploy tough rhetoric is undiminished, but the Greens are nevertheless aware that any government of which they are part will face a significant PR challenge as it seeks to win over the country's corporates - a similar task to that faced by the left-wing Labour-Alliance coalition of 1999-2002.

Donald said the party had already worked hard to woo business audiences, but acknowledged further efforts would be required to prove the Greens weren't "the Devil incarnate".

Neither as sexy as they were standing independent of the Alliance in 1999 nor as scary as during the GE-inspired Corngate madness of 2002, the Greens have acquired a sheen of respectability during the past three years.

Unlike last time, when a continuation of the GE moratorium was a bottom line, the Greens do not have any non-negotiable policies. They will seek at least two Cabinet seats - for Donald and co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons - and possibly a third for Sue Bradford.

Deemed too dangerous for Cabinet, Nandor Tanczos, Keith Locke, and Sue Kedgley will warm the backbenches, as will the comparatively inexperienced Metiria Turei.

Labour is unlikely to concede two of the Greens' preferred portfolios, transport and energy, for fear of scaring the horses, but associate ministerial posts could be on offer.

Perhaps more likely is that the Greens could pick up the environment and conservation portfolios. Helen Clark has not discounted the possibility of giving the finance portfolio to a coalition partner, but Donald told the Herald On Sunday the Greens had ruled out asking for the finance, foreign affairs and trade, or trade negotiations portfolios - though an associate role in finance could appeal. Neither will they seek the deputy prime ministership.

Fitzsimons, Donald and chief-of-staff Deborah Moran will represent the Greens in coalition talks.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY