Ministerial job high on new Act MP's wishlist

Act has little bargaining power because National won an outright majority to govern for a third term. Photo / Natalie Slade

Act's sole MP David Seymour will meet John Key at Parliament today with a wishlist for a confidence and supply agreement, including for him to become a minister.

But, he says, it is entirely up to the Prime Minister.

"If he offers then it depends on what sort of policy area it is, and whether it advances Act and will actually help us to be a better party that improves public policy for New Zealanders," Mr Seymour said.

Education and partnership schools - also known as charter schools - were important to Act, he said.

He said it was important to rebuild the Act Party which got only 0.69 per cent of the party vote on Saturday.

"I refuse to believe that only 0.7 per cent of New Zealanders want smaller government so we must work on that."

Act has little bargaining power because National won an outright majority to govern for a third term, unlike the two minority governments it has run for the past six years, which included Act's support.

However, given that National has a majority of just one, Mr Key is looking for some insurance from Act, United Future and the Maori Party.

United Future leader Peter Dunne hobbled into Mr Key's Beehive office yesterday with a twisted ankle for the first round of talks.

Mr Dunne said he expected that there would be an expansion of the "agree to disagree" provisions of the confidence and supply agreement.