Winston Peters: Coalition deal Saturday at earliest, refuses to reveal NZ First board

Winston Peters is refusing to identify the members of the New Zealand First board who'll decide the next government, while confirming a coalition decision won't be made before Saturday at the earliest.

Peters said the board members had a right to privacy.

"New Zealand First values our board members' privacy," he said.

The NZ First leader has also confirmed he will breach his own deadline of a decision today - and indicated it's unlikely there will be a decision before Saturday at the earliest.

Peters has been at pains to note that the party's board, not just himself, will decide who the party will form a coalition government with.

He claimed New Zealand First values transparency "but we also value an individual's privacy especially when they volunteer their services."

"They are not politicians but New Zealanders who believe in the party and wish to make a contribution to the decision-making process.

"They give up their valuable spare time to take part in board meetings and attend to other matters, and we are grateful for that.

"By putting their name forward to serve on the board they do not expect to have their privacy invaded and to become public figures. This privacy extends to all party members."

On his way into a meeting with Labour, Peters bridled at a question about why the NZ First board had not been prepared in advance to meet as soon as talks wound up.

"Please don't have these stupid, mindless arguments about the board. The board needed to know at a certain time when they could possible meet.

"We are working on their agendas, their timetables, where they live, the bookings and those types of things."

"We are doing this in the breathtaking time we possibly can do it."

What we do know about the NZ First board

A martial arts teacher and IT consultant are among the select group of New Zealanders set to agree upon the next Government.

The New Zealand First board will be presented with two options at a special meeting over the weekend or Monday, after final negotiations today.

Some board members are well known, including leader Winston Peters and deputy leader Ron Mark.

However, other party figures have little or no public profile.

There is no list of board members on the NZ First website, and the party has declined to release a list. Leader Winston Peters said that was because members were entitled to privacy.

"They are not politicians but New Zealanders who believe in the party and wish to make a contribution to the decision-making process.

"They give up their valuable spare time to take part in board meetings and attend to other matters, and we are grateful for that.

"By putting their name forward to serve on the board they do not expect to have their privacy invaded and to become public figures. This privacy extends to all party members."

That stance comes despite board details previously being published on the NZ First website, and distributed in material relating to party conferences in past years.

The Herald has confirmed members have recently included:

• Winston Peters, leader.

• Ron Mark, deputy leader.

• Brent Catchpole, president and former MP.

• Anne Martin, party secretary and mother of MP Tracey Martin.

• Holly Ellen, treasurer.

• Julian Paul, North Island vice president. Works in sales and teaches martial arts and stood in Epsom at the election.

• John Thorn, South Island vice-president.

• Kristin Campbell-Smith, director general ex-officio.

• Kevin Gardener. A former party president.

• Claire Ashley.

• Toa Greening. A Papakura-based information engineering consultant and Manurewa local board member.

• Anne-Marie Andrews.

• Susan Sara, stood in Nelson at the election.

• Robert Monds. An Aucklander and part of a growing number of young people involved in the party.

The board and caucus will be presented with two options at the same meeting. By the time the meeting is over they will have agreed on supporting a National or Labour-led Government.

NZ First held a caucus meeting this morning before its negotiating team entered another full day of talks with National and Labour.

Talks today are the fifth and final day of negotiations.

Peters said there wouldn't be a vote at the board and caucus meeting, but discussions would continue until most if not all board members were in agreement.

"You don't want to be going to a vote in these matters. You want a serious consensus. If you haven't got a serious consensus, stay there until you get one."

Peters hit out at media for what he said was the suggestion that he alone would decide whether to back Labour or National, saying his party was and always had been democratic.

Peters says the NZ First board will not be able to meet tomorrow to consider proposed deals with National and Labour - but it could happen over the weekend or on Monday.

On his way back to from his first meeting with National, Peters said while he was "pretty confident" he would complete talks with National and Labour by tonight, a board meeting would depend on the members' availability - and would not happen tomorrow.

"It depends upon the logistical availability of the board, which could be Saturday, Sunday or Monday."

He said he would know soon - and it was "a priority."

He ruled out using teleconferencing or Skype.

"It wouldn't be satisfactory. We thought about that. We thought we could circumvent all of that by doing it by Skype but that would not be the kind of serious discussion we need to have."

Peters also denied he had ever said October 12 was the date he had said he would make a decision public, saying his comments about that date had been misinterpreted.