Whanganui Chronicle
  • Whanganui Chronicle home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Taranaki
  • National Park
  • Whakapapa
  • Ohakune
  • Raetihi
  • Taihape
  • Marton
  • Feilding
  • Palmerston North

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • New Plymouth
  • Whanganui
  • Palmertson North
  • Levin

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 / Whanganui Chronicle

'Seriously difficult': Winston Peters still hasn't decided who to go with

Nicholas Jones
By Nicholas Jones
Investigative Reporter·NZ Herald·
19 Oct, 2017 02:42 AM4 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 has announced NZ First will go with Labour to form a Labour and NZ First Coalition

A dispute over ministerial positions is delaying Winston Peters' announcement, NBR reports.

They report that NZ First has requested from National four Cabinet roles and one ministerial position outside Cabinet in return for support.

National had planned on offering three positions - and not all of those would be in Cabinet.

NBR understands Peters has baulked at this - and he went back to Labour seeking more ministerial roles than National would offer.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

One of Winston Peters' advisers, Paul Carrad, came over to check out the Beehive Theatrette and to place a platform behind the lectern for Peters.

However, reports say this platform was soon removed.

Previously, Peters returned to considering his coalition options behind closed doors, after a short lunch break and revealing things are still changing "by the hour".

"We are not very far away from finality and we are just going to have a bite to eat and put it all on the table and make a decision," he said on his way to lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant in Lambton Quay.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The NZ First leader said the deals at this stage were "seriously substantially final".

Asked if there was a chance a decision might not be made today, Peters said he hoped not: "We've set our minds to make a decision. The reason why I don't rule out things is you never know what might blow in the next couple hours.

"That is the nature and shape of politics. It always has been.

"Things change by the hour."

Discover more

New Zealand|politics

Live: Final scramble - English won't rule out deal tweaks

18 Oct 06:08 PM

Asked about how the announcement would be made, Peters said his focus was on the decision and not how it would be announced.

He had not decided whether he would tell both parties before the announcement to New Zealand.

"Our total focus has been on the decision.

"Other matters are extraneous and will sort themselves out once we have made the decision."

Peters said the decision was "seriously difficult".

"There are pros and cons for every part of this decision we have got to make. And we have one more chance to evaluate what it means, both ways."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Peters said his fellow MPs were feeling the responsibility.
"When you are going into discussions with grave uncertainties that are both personal and as a group of people, it is a very, very anxious time."

Peters said no negotiation ended up perfectly. After he had "some breakfast", Peters said NZ First would go back into discussions amongst its caucus.

"We have a few hours to go. But we hope to complete it."

English indicates there's still time for tweaks

Earlier today National leader Bill English also indicated there was still room to amend its policy agreements with NZ First.

Changes were possible up to the very last minute, English said before heading in to meet his MPs at 11am.

The caucus meeting was to get the approval of his MPs to the agreement in advance of Peters making his decision between National and Labour.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

He would not comment on the content of that agreement but asked if he had decided on Cabinet positions yet, said "that has been discussed as part of the agreement."

English said there was always the possibility of further changes and there had been "a lot of progress in the last 24 hours."

"This is a process where further discussion could be had, but I'm satisfied we are in a position where I can present to the caucus and the National Party board the broad outline of the agreement."

The agreement National had reached with Peters after "intensive negotiations" would be the basis of a strong and cohesive government.

"Later in the day Mr Peters will indicate whether he agrees with that."

English said he had not considered whether he would resign if Peters did not opt for National.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

He did not know how Peters intended to handle the announcement, saying there would be discussions during the day about those logistics.

He was seeking the caucus and board approval now so that if there ended up being a NZ First - National government he could go ahead to form that.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Whanganui Chronicle

‘Explosions’ ring out over Palmerston North as multiple cars burn

19 Jun 09:44 PM
Whanganui Chronicle

Our top Premium stories this year: Special offer for Herald, Viva, Listener

19 Jun 08:11 PM
Whanganui Chronicle

Whanganui rugby: Regional rivalry returns

19 Jun 05:00 PM

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

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

‘Explosions’ ring out over Palmerston North as multiple cars burn

‘Explosions’ ring out over Palmerston North as multiple cars burn

19 Jun 09:44 PM

Fire crews were called to Tremaine Ave at 4am to tackle the blaze.

Our top Premium stories this year: Special offer for Herald, Viva, Listener

Our top Premium stories this year: Special offer for Herald, Viva, Listener

19 Jun 08:11 PM
Whanganui rugby: Regional rivalry returns

Whanganui rugby: Regional rivalry returns

19 Jun 05:00 PM
Town centres to get multimillion-dollar makeovers

Town centres to get multimillion-dollar makeovers

19 Jun 05:00 PM
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
  • Whanganui Chronicle e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Whanganui Chronicle
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP