Live: Christopher Luxon dismisses debate about ministerial roles as ‘conjecture’

What you need to know (Luxon): 

• Christopher Luxon says NZ First and ACT have “closed out and agreed” on a policy plan with National, and will now negotiate ministerial roles.
• ACT leader David Seymour and NZ First’s Winston Peters appeared less certain that policy had been fully agreed to, with Seymour calling the announcement “a bit of over enthusiasm”.
• It has been 18 days since the election results were confirmed, and 38 days since the election.
• Negotiations to form the next government are continuing in Auckland, with Seymour making a pitch for the deputy PM role after meeting with Luxon at his home on Tuesday morning.

10 minutes ago Stan Ellis

Luxon and Peters leave Cordis

National leader Christopher Luxon and NZ First leader Winston Peters have left the Cordis Hotel in Auckland without briefing media on their talks.

Luxon said negotiations were still ongoing, and that all three parties were going “as fast as we possibly can”, before getting into his car.

Luxon returns Weet-Bix fire, promises all policy is settled

Abigail Dougherty / StuffNational leader Christopher Luxon says all parties have formally agreed to a coalition policy programme, but has called debate about ministerial roles “conjecture”.

Arriving at the Cordis Hotel to meet NZ First leader Winston Peters, Luxon downplayed the importance of the deputy prime minister role and returned ACT leader David Seymour’s Weet-Bix serve.

Last night, Seymour told Stuff Luxon had been over excited when he declared all parties agreed to a policy plan.

“I can understand Chris’s enthusiasm, but I just suspect he’s had one too many Weet-Bix,” Seymour said.

Asked if Luxon had overstated the progress of the negotiations, as a “power play” tactic to try and hurry it along, Seymour said he thought it was optimistic “over enthusiasm”.

And then earlier today, Seymour told reporters he thought ministerial roles should be divvied out based on the size of parties. And ACT has a bigger caucus than NZ First.

Given ACT’s size, Seymour suggested it would make sense deputy prime minister could go to him. But he told Stuff he wouldn’t assume to hold any position, and said that was being negotiated this week.

Luxon refused to comment on whether he agreed that the size of a party should determine its role in Cabinet. He said all talk of positions needed to be kept in the negotiating room.

Asked if he was disappointed by Seymour’s comments this morning, Luxon told Stuff, “He probably got out and ate a lot of Weet-Bix this morning. 

He added: “I do my conversations in the room.”

Luxon, as he arrived at the Cordis moments ago, doubled down on his comment that all policies had been settled.

“We have agreed the ways of working, as I said a couple of minor Ts to cross and Is to dot, and now we’re well into the conversation on ministerial responsibilities.”

Both Peters and Seymour, as well as National deputy leader Nicola Willis, could perform the role of deputy prime minister. Luxon said he saw that as a “ceremonial role”, rather than one with practical power.

Today 07:25 am Glenn McConnell

No comment from Peters ahead of Luxon meeting

NZ First leader Winston Peters rushed past reporters at the Cordis Hotel, ahead of another meeting with Christopher Luxon. 

He said hi to the valets and concierges, but wasn’t keen to talk to any reporters. 

Earlier today, ACT leader David Seymour headed to Luxon’s home to discuss positions and iron over policy details. 

Seymour said he thought positions should be allocated based on the size of parties. And ACT has a bigger caucus than NZ First. 

Abigail Dougherty / Stuff

Abigail Dougherty / StuffShare Today 06:56 am Stan Ellis

Seymour makes pitch for deputy PM

The crucial issue of who does what jobs in the centre-right trinity are yet to be properly thrashed out, with the position of deputy prime minister shaping up as contentious.

Talking to media outside of National leader Christopher Luxon’s house on Tuesday, ACT leader David Seymour was asked directly if he wanted the job as deputy PM.

“I think there’s a very clear agenda that the ACT Party is the second largest party in the government, therefore, if there’s a second role in the government, that should go to the second party,” he said.

“But having said that, a negotiation’s a negotiation, and you never know your luck.”

Today 06:37 am Stan Ellis

Seymour: ‘Proportionality’s important to democracy’

ACT leader David Seymour agreed it was his view ACT should get more ministerial roles than NZ First based on the party vote, saying “that would be the result of proportionality, yes”.

“I think proportionality’s important to democracy, it’s important to the people. Every person out there, their vote counts the same and so should their representation in a government. It’s also a fair way to do things and if there’s one thing that really resonates as a Kiwi value it’s fairness.”

The negotiating is likely to be centred on key positions like deputy prime minister, foreign ministers and attorney-general, and the level of influence in crucial portfolios like Finance.

“I think we’ve made really good progress, obviously we’ve had to talk a lot about policy but we’ve also got to have a government formed and that involves people having to do jobs that align with the policy goals of the government as well as their own skills and passions so they can deliver for people,” Seymour said.

However, he would not say whether the attorney-general role, for instance – the government’s top lawyer with responsibility over the law and legal matters – was particularly contentious.

“If one portfolio or another is contentious or decided I wouldn’t be able to talk about it at this stage,” Seymour said.

With the deal looking likely to be a three-party coalition, he was positive about the relationships between the three leaders.

“I would say it’s collaborative and constructive, which is how we’re going to have to be for the next three years,” he said.

“I mean, what I see is that people rise to the challenge and the responsibility and I think we’re going to actually work together very well.”

He had not met with NZ First’s Winston Peters this morning, he said, but the option was always there, as they were still going through some of the details of each others’ policy agreements with National, he said.

“We’re in a really good space and we’re just dotting ‘i’s and crossing ‘t’s on things like that.

“I have no plans to meet him but we’ve met many times over the last week sometimes with an hour’s notice so we’re always ready to pick up the phone or meet if we need to.”

– RNZ Today 03:53 am Glenn McConnell

Luxon and Seymour meet at home to discuss roles and clear up policy agreement 

At the Cordis, negotiations HQ, where figures from National, ACT and NZ First have been coming and going for almost a week, it’s unusually quiet.

ACT leader David Seymour is meeting with National leader Christopher Luxon at Luxon’s home in Auckland, Stuff understands.

Their in-person meeting followed a morning of messages and calls between all sides, as talks turn to the nitty-gritty of policy and to discuss how ministerial positions will be divvied up between MPs.

Earlier this morning, National deputy leader Nicola Willis checked out of the hotel where she and other Wellington-based National MPs have been staying. Willis was carrying a large suitcase – a sign, perhaps, that the hotel negotiations may be coming to an end?

On Monday, National leader Christopher Luxon said they were on the “home stretch”. He claimed all parties had agreed on a policy programme, and the only task left was negotiating ministerial roles – although ACT and NZ First seemed to think they weren’t quite finished yet.

Today 01:46 am Michael Daly

New National MP Cameron Brewer celebrated victory for ‘stale, pale males’ after defeat of Sri Lankan-born rival

New National MP Cameron Brewer has apologised for a “poor attempt at humour” after celebrating the return of “stale, pale males” in his election night victory speech, having ousted Labour’s Vanushi Walters from Upper Harbour.

In a recording of the speech leaked to RNZ, Brewer can be heard declaring himself a “glass ceiling breaker” to laughs from the crowd.

“I’ll be the first male MP for Upper Harbour,” he says to cheers. “Stale, pale males are back!”

The Upper Harbour electorate had been held by Walters – New Zealand’s first Sri Lankan-born MP – since 2020, and before that, National’s Paula Bennett since the seat’s formation in 2014.

Contacted by RNZ, Brewer said the remarks were intended to be funny and self-deprecating but accepted they were unwise.

“If anyone is offended by this comment, of course, I apologise… I don’t want to be the subject of distraction,” Brewer said.

New Upper Harbour MP Cameron Brewer. NATIONAL PARTY/SUPPLIED

Today 01:36 am Michael Daly

Speculation about deputy PM, attorney-general

Political commentator Bryce Edwards was on RNZ on Tuesday morning. He said deciding who will be deputy MP was “difficult”.

“Give it to Winston Peters, ACT will not be happy with that. Give it to (David) Seymour, and NZ First, specially Winston Peters, won’t be happy,” Edwards said.

An option was to give the job to National deputy leader Nicola Willis, and give some other portfolios to ACT and NZ First to make up for that.

There had also been talk of splitting the deputy PM role between Seymour and Peters, Edwards said.

If it was split, one possibility was for Seymour and Peters to share the job, similar to the situation in Fiji where there were co-deputy PMs. Or else they could have the role at different times during the parliamentary term.

There had also be “lots of leaks” from the negotiations that Peters wanted the job of attorney-general, Edwards said.

That was a “headache” for National. It would mean Peters had a lot of control over judicial appointments. “The understanding is that Peters wants to have that influence, specially in terms of Treaty issues, in terms of the courts’ role in interpreting the principles of the Treaty.”

It was also thought Peters wanted the attorney-general job because it essentially had control of the Serious Fraud Office, Edwards said.

The SFO had taken cases against NZ First. An appeal in one case was still before the courts.

“That would be constitutionally difficult for National to give that role to Peters.”

Today 12:54 am Michael Daly

Nanaia Mahuta urges ‘action’ after Labour’s Gaza call sparks political fracas

Former foreign minister Nanaia Mahuta says “actions must follow words” after Labour leader Chris Hipkins called for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Hipkins sparked a political fracas on Sunday afternoon when he momentarily stepped away from being caretaker prime minister to declare Labour wanted an outright ceasefire.

Mahuta, who was Hipkins’ foreign minister a little more than a week ago, has urged further action.

In a lengthy post on social media, Mahuta said she supported Hipkins’ statement, “but as we know actions must follow words”.

“Diplomatic pressure must be brought to bear in our relationships with the US and the UK and in turn their influence with Israel.”

She also said the “attack has not occurred in a vacuum”, and Palestinian statehood should be universally recognised to allow self-determination and economic and political autonomy.

New Zealand does not recognise Palestine as a state but supports a two-state solution with Israel, implying it will officially recognise it at some point in the future. 
Thomas Manch has the full story in The Post

Former foreign minister Nanaia Mahuta has urged further action. ROBERT KITCHIN / THE POST

Yesterday 11:12 pm Michael Daly

‘Wouldn’t describe any of it as sticking points, as such’, Willis says

Talking on RNZ on Tuesday morning, National deputy leader Nicola Willis said she was confident the coalition partners were putting in place agreements that “form a solid foundation to let us deliver really good government, and get things done for Kiwis”.

“We’ve got policy agreement between National and NZ First, and between National and ACT.

“NZ First and ACT now need to come to agreement on each other’s policy platforms, and there needs to be agreement between all the parties on the form those documents take.

“We also need to make sure that we’ve had that discussion about ministerial roles.

“So there is still some work to do. I wouldn’t describe any of it as sticking points, as such, but just further agreements that need to be reached in order to finalise our governing arrangements.”

Yesterday 11:01 pm Michael Daly

Parties have ‘reached an important milestone’: Willis

National deputy leader Nicola Willis was on Radio NZ early Tuesday. She said the parties in coalition talks had “reached an important milestone, which is that National has reached policy agreements with both NZ First and with ACT.

“There’s still work to do to get a final deal, and that’s because the parties need to cross-check those agreements with each other, there needs to be discussion about ministerial roles, and finalisation of the documents through the respective board processes, and the like.”

She was hopeful that would take “less time, rather than more time”.

Yesterday 10:45 pm Michael Daly

Seymour says that’s the Weet-Bix talking as Luxon announces ‘significant milestone’

National leader Christopher Luxon says the parties have agreed on what they want to achieve together in government, a comment which appears to have somewhat surprised his coalition partners.

Luxon first announced the “significant milestone” on Monday morning, and maintained that evening that negotiations about policy had come to an end. The last step, he said, was to negotiate ministerial positions – but his coalition partners both said there was still work to be done.

NZ First leader Winston Peters refused to comment about the milestone until speaking to Luxon first, to make sure they were “on the same page”. Meanwhile, ACT leader David Seymour said it appeared Luxon was overexcited.

“I can understand Chris’s enthusiasm, but I just suspect he’s had one too many Weet-Bix,” Seymour told Stuff on Monday afternoon, as the 17th day of post-results negotiations came to an end.

Peters agreed that the policy plan looked “great”, and thought a government could soon form.

“You’ve got to compromise. You’ve got to get a government formed and get underway. And we’re not too far from being there,” he said.

Close, but not yet agreed. While discussions looked set to continue on policy details, both Seymour and Peters said it shouldn’t take much time.

Christopher Luxon and Nicola Willis speak to reporters at the Cordis hotel in Auckland on Monday. ABIGAIL DOUGHERTY/STUFF

Yesterday 10:27 pm Glenn McConnell

How close are we really?

Good morning. It is day 18 of post-results negotiations to form the next government. 38 days since the election.  

Yesterday National leader Christopher Luxon said these talks were “on the home stretch” and announced a “significant milestone”.

He said the parties had agreed on policy and would start negotiating for ministerial roles, a comment which appears to have somewhat surprised his coalition partners.

ACT leader David Seymour said agreements weren’t made until he signed on the dotted line, and he hadn’t done that. And NZ First leader Winston Peters said there were more checks left to do. 

Everyone agreed these talks were nearing the end. But how close to the end?

No one is willing to put a time to it, after making that mistake before. 

Yesterday 09:48 am Glenn McConnell

Luxon: National’s policy negotiations have finished, now talking positions

Abigail Dougherty / StuffNational leader Christopher Luxon says his discussion with NZ First leader Winston Peters today moved on from policy to ministerial positions.

He wouldn’t say which ministerial roles were discussed, but said National’s focus in the days ahead would be on shaping Cabinet and filling ministerial roles.

During this afternoon’s meeting with Peters, Luxon said they ironed out a few details and some of the wording of the policy document – but had not agreed to any significant changes from the documents sent to both NZ First and ACT last night.

He said ACT and NZ First would still need to agree on their policy programmes, but those discussions would not need to include National.

National leader Christopher Luxon says all parties have formally agreed to a coalition policy programme, but has called debate about ministerial roles “conjecture”.

With Thanks Reference to: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/301012236/live-christopher-luxon-dismisses-debate-about-ministerial-roles-as-conjecture