NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Winston Peters' secret talks with Labour's Jacinda Ardern and National's Bill English

By Nicholas Jones & Claire Trevett
NZ Herald·
17 Oct, 2017 04:00 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Winston Peters stand-up after their board meeting concluded in Wellington. Credit: Mark Mitchell

NZ First leader Winston Peters had secret one-on-one meetings with National leader Bill English and Labour leader Jacinda Ardern last night as he attempts to make a decision on which he will crown Prime Minister.

Peters met with English almost immediately after the NZ First board left yesterday afternoon following two days of discussions which were originally expected to resolve whether the party would tilt its hat at National or Labour to form the next Government.

Both leaders and Peters were on their own without staff or any of their negotiating teams - the first one-on-one meetings between them.

Labour leader Jacinda Ardern leaves after one on one meeting with NZ First leader Winston Peters. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Labour leader Jacinda Ardern leaves after one on one meeting with NZ First leader Winston Peters. Photo / Mark Mitchell

While NZ First notified media about the timings of the talks between the parties last week, these were held with no notice. In an apparent bid to keep it secret, rather than walk through the complex Peters drove out of Bowen House and then across to the Beehive to try to slip in without being seen.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

They met in the same room NZ First and Labour and National had held their talks in last week.

The Herald saw English leave soon after 6pm, after about half an hour in the room. English later confirmed it was just the two leaders in the meeting.

NZ First leader Winston Peters after secret one-on-one meetings with National leader Bill English and Labour leader Jacinda Ardern at Parliament. Photo / Mark Mitchell
NZ First leader Winston Peters after secret one-on-one meetings with National leader Bill English and Labour leader Jacinda Ardern at Parliament. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Asked what the next steps would be taken to form a Government, English said, "we'll let you know".

"I can confirm I met with Mr Peters, but I won't be commenting on the contents of that meeting."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Ardern was seen leaving about 40 minutes after that. She managed to sneak into the room without being seen by taking a different route to her usual - going through the Beehive rather than the most direct route from her offices in Parliament House.

She took the route the National Party negotiating team usually took, which provides little opportunity for cameras.

Just before the meetings, Peters told media the board was "98 per cent there" on the policy packages that the two parties presented to NZ First, but leader-to-leader talks were needed to resolve other issues.

"We can't make a decision as a party until we've had those discussions."

Discover more

New Zealand|politics

English on negotiations with NZ First

16 Oct 04:00 PM
Opinion

Audrey Young: Decision is looming large... maybe

16 Oct 04:00 PM
New Zealand|politics

Labour's not a 'lapdog': Jacinda Ardern

16 Oct 07:20 PM
New Zealand|politics

Peters emerges from talks: There's still work to be done

17 Oct 02:58 AM

He did not specify what those issues were but they are expected to include the shape a government might take, any ministerial portfolios and any concerns Peters might have about working with English and Ardern as Prime Minister.

Peters said all the various shapes a governing arrangement could take were still on the table.

Peters said he would try to resolve the talks as fast as possible.

It was still his goal to reach a decision by the end of the week, but that would partly depend on the other parties as well.

"We've got things to finish off as urgently as we can, sorting out differences of calculations and opinions and trying to make sure we've got with both sides a clear understanding so that if we do finalise it we'll know where we've got the agreement rather than having to go away and write it again."

Peters said there was "serious consensus" over the policies put to both sides. "This is a case of policies that survived and those are the ones that will be going into an agreement."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

He said once those final details were hammered out, a further board meeting could be held by teleconference rather than in person.

The Green Party has also been on standby for days to hold a Special General Meeting of its 150 delegates to approve its agreement with Labour, which needed support from both the Green Party and NZ First to form a Government. That is now unlikely to take place unless NZ First advises Labour it is its preferred partner.

The party needs at least 75 per cent of support from those delegates and had its agreement vetted by a reference group including former leader Jeanette Fitzsimons to ensure it would pass muster.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

New Zealand

Police seek man after 'deeply concerning' attack on popular Porirua trail

20 Jun 07:03 AM
New Zealand

Have you seen her? Police concerned for missing Dunedin woman

20 Jun 06:45 AM
Crime

Duo jailed after vigilante burglary of Epsom mansion terrorises wrong woman

20 Jun 06:00 AM

Jono and Ben brew up a tea-fuelled adventure in Sri Lanka

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

Police seek man after 'deeply concerning' attack on popular Porirua trail

Police seek man after 'deeply concerning' attack on popular Porirua trail

20 Jun 07:03 AM

The woman was shaken by the incident.

Have you seen her? Police concerned for missing Dunedin woman

Have you seen her? Police concerned for missing Dunedin woman

20 Jun 06:45 AM
Duo jailed after vigilante burglary of Epsom mansion terrorises wrong woman

Duo jailed after vigilante burglary of Epsom mansion terrorises wrong woman

20 Jun 06:00 AM
NZ pauses $18.2m aid to Cook Islands amid China deal tensions

NZ pauses $18.2m aid to Cook Islands amid China deal tensions

20 Jun 05:27 AM
Help for those helping hardest-hit
sponsored

Help for those helping hardest-hit

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP