Don't expect a new Government to be formed anytime soon, and definitely not Monday.
Caretaker Prime Minister Bill English says policy discussions between National and New Zealand First aren't even finished yet, and they haven't even begun to talk about what form a potential coalition might take.
"The discussions NZ First are having today are not going to be focusing on completed agreements," he told The AM Show on Monday morning. "At the moment we don't have an agreement."
Winston Peters and the NZ First board are meeting on Monday to decide whether to side with National or the Labour-Greens bloc.
"The fact NZ First is having their board meeting doesn't mean there are completed agreements they will be looking at," said Mr English.
"There's still more discussion to be had about the nature of a coalition or other form of confidence and supply agreement - those discussions are yet to be had."
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Mr English exchanged "letters" with Mr Peters over the weekend "regarding more policy issues and tidying it up".
Labour leader Jacinda Ardern at the weekend uploaded a video to the party's YouTube channel in which she said the discussions had been "exactly the kind of process we need to make sure that we give full consideration to the best Government to take New Zealand forward".
"It would be a Government I would be proud to lead - but for now we've got that little wait on our hands," she said, with a suggestive wink.
Mr English said none of his discussions with Mr Peters had been about the make-up of a potential National-NZ First Government - whether it would be a coalition, a confidence and supply agreement or something else.
The fact Mr Peters is meeting his board on Monday, before these discussion have been had, shouldn't be taken as a sign Mr Peters isn't interested in winning any Cabinet positions, Mr English said.
"You can draw your own conclusion. All I'm saying is these things are [yet] to be discussed."
Mr Peters initially said he'd have a decision ready by the end of last week.
Newshub.
